The historic arrest of the former Prince Andrew has plunged the monarchy into crisis, marking the first arrest of a royal since 1649
NEED TO KNOW
King Charles' brother was detained on his 66th birthday, Feb. 19; his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, has remained out of public view, with her whereabouts unknown
"The stain of what Andrew did is spreading across the monarchy itself and undermining it," royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE In this week's issue
With neither of his daughters,Princess BeatriceandPrincess Eugenie, nor his ex-wife,Sarah Ferguson, set to visit on his 66th birthday, the disgraced formerPrince Andrewawoke alone at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate on Feb. 19. Instead of family, police officers arrived at his door.
Shortly after 8 a.m., authoritiesarrested the former Duke of York on suspicion of misconduct in public office, linked to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and drove him away in an unmarked car. As news broke within the hour and images of police vehicles at Sandringham ricocheted around the world, Andrew's family — led by his brother,King Charles— waslearning of the arrest in real time.
"This is the place where the Queen spent her last birthday in April 2022," Robert Jobson, author ofThe Windsor Legacy, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "Four years later it's been raided by the police. It beggars belief."
The arrest, the first of a royal since 1649, when King Charles I was beheaded for high treason, sent shock waves through the House of Windsor and raised renewed questions about accountability and privilege.
"If it comes out that people knew stuff — whether it be members of the family or police or staffers — then heads must roll," Jobson says.
Andrew, 66, was taken to Aylsham police station in Norfolk, where he was read his rights and held for 11 hours before being released under investigation. As he left the station,cameras captured him slumped in the back of an SUV. The arrest came nearly four months after he wasstripped of his remaining princely titleandordered to leave his longtime Royal Lodge homeover his Epstein links.
"He looked broken. Haunted," says Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary toQueen Elizabeth. "That reverence people once had for the royal family is disappearing. This is the damage Andrew has done."
Charlesmarked the moment with a brief statement: "I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office… Let me state clearly: The law must take its course."
The wording was deliberate, Anderson adds: "It was a way of distancing himself."
Royal duty continued in the hours and days after the arrest, with King Charles,Queen Camilla,Prince WilliamandKate Middletonall carrying on with work. The Prince and Princess of Waleswere at their country home just miles from where Andrew was arrestedon Feb. 19 and then stepped out for the BAFTAs on Feb. 22, where they ignored a red carpet heckler who shouted, "Is the monarchy in peril?"
Advertisement
Moments later, when asked if he had seen the emotional, nominated filmHamnet, William admitted, "I need to be in quite a calm state. And I'm not at the moment."
As Andrew's arrest reverberated beyond palace walls, attention turned to those closest to him. His ex-wife, Ferguson, who had lived with him at Royal Lodge and has not been seen in public since before Christmas, traveled abroad. The former Duchess of York faces renewed scrutiny over her past dealings with Epstein and whether she may be questioned by police in Andrew's case.
Ferguson, 66, wasreported to have spent time at a luxury wellness clinic in Switzerlandin January and is currently believed to be abroad as she considers a return to the U.K., though her precise whereabouts remain unclear.
Meanwhile, the former couple's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, found themselves caught in the crossfires. Eugenie, 35,had been skiing with her husband and sons in Gstaad, Switzerland, while Beatrice, 37, has not been seen publicly in weeks. Both sisters were reported to be "in a state" after their father's arrest.
Released under investigation and without bail conditions,Andrew faces an uncertain legal road ahead. He could remain in legal limbo for weeks or even months as police examine documents — released by the U.S. Department of Justice amid heightened scrutiny of those in Epstein's orbit — that allegedly show Andrew sharing information with Epstein obtained during his work as the U.K.'s trade envoy.
Prosecutors, ultimately, will decide whether charges are brought. If he is convicted, misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The British government is alsoreportedly considering legislation that would remove Andrew from the line of succession, a blow to the son long viewed as Queen Elizabeth's favorite.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
The timing further compounds pressure on King Charles' reign, already strained by his cancer treatment, Kate's cancer recovery and the ongoing rift with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. For William, preparing for his future role, the episode has reinforced long-held frustrations.
The Prince of Wales, 43, isunderstood to support his father's approachbut believes the monarchy could have acted sooner. What comes next may determine not just Andrew's fate, but the future of the institution.
"The stain of what Andrew did is spreading across the monarchy itself and undermining it," says royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith. "It's unlike anything the modern monarchy has faced."
Read the original article onPeople
