Palace Intrigue : Former Prince Andrew Arrested - Royal Family gossip

Andrew arrested Thursday Feb 19 on 66th birthday at Wood Farm, Sandringham. Suspicion of misconduct in public office. 11 hours custody at Aylsham Police Station. Released under investigation—no bail, no conditions. Thames Valley Police/NCA searches at Royal Lodge and Wood Farm. Maximum sentence: life imprisonment. Last royal arrested: King Charles I, 1646. Case would be styled "The King v Mountbatten-Windsor." King Charles statement: "the law must take its course."

Buckingham Palace not informed in advance. Charles continues London Fashion Week appearance. Reuters photo of Andrew in back of car leaving custody becomes iconic. Trump: "very sad." Deep Crown: "Andrew is a chapter. The story is Charles. William and Catherine represent monarchy's most credible path to genuine fresh start." Christmas cards 2011/2012 to Epstein with Beatrice/Eugenie photos despite claiming contact cut off 2010. Torture allegation: watching 6-8 year old girl electric shock (Surrey Police).

Hillary Clinton: Andrew should testify. Documents show Epstein donated $50k to WildAid (William was ambassador). Charles's environmental documentary overshadowed. Sarah distancing: "I need money," considering memoir. MP calls for Andrew removed from succession, stripped of Counsellor of State. Meghan reveals Lilibet's face despite Harry's anti-social media stance. As Ever $295 Complete Pantry. Meghan promotes candles on day of arrest: "What an idiot."

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Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

Father of victim testifies: "Anger. A lot of anger from me toward Marius Borg Høiby. I am a father, plain and simple. It is biology — we are born with a protective instinct." Daughter told him she met "the prince," then police showed her videos: "She was in shock." Hotel victim testimony: 27 videos recovered, "He would never finish. He wouldn't stop. I was afraid." Videos stored at Royal Palace address Slottsplassen 1.

Høiby activated Private Photo Vault subscription 2 hours after alleged assault. Høiby confirms filming 27 videos: "I simply like recording sexual encounters, watch material later instead of pornography." Claims woman was aware despite not asking permission. Sleep researcher: pulse data "compatible with her initially being asleep, unable to resist." Nora Haukland emotional testimony: choking, slapping, "black out." "I feel Marius has two faces. One very sweet and charming, one determined and angry." Video shows security guard saw choking. Høiby: "Yes, that's fine." Haukland: "I really wanted to save him. I feel very sorry for him."

Mette-Marit's German reputation "completely destroyed." Crown Princess alone at Skaugum while family at Olympics. Defence attacks police arrest operation. Opinion piece: media pressure could justify reduced sentence. Theatre play "The Son" in development.

Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.

Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

The morning after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, British newspapers delivered a near-unified message: this is historic, humiliating, and impossible to spin away. Almost every front page led with the same defining image — Andrew appearing shellshocked in the back of a car — paired with variations on the King’s stark line: “the law must take its course.” From broadsheets to tabloids, the tone was consistent: unprecedented in modern royal history.

The story also detonated internationally, with major outlets across Europe describing a “royal shock,” a “prince of darkness,” and a crisis being framed as the biggest earthquake for the monarchy in decades. Royal historian Ed Owens warns that the monarchy’s biggest problem may be the “unknowables” still buried in this situation — unresolved questions that will keep the story alive and could pose major risks if anything suggests institutional protection.

We also examine the secondary stories now spilling into view: reports that Andrew had been contemplating a move overseas before the arrest; claims about how staff allegedly facilitated private visitors; fresh scrutiny of Sarah Ferguson’s emotional strain; and Marina Hyde’s argument that the Palace’s posture has long looked less like transparency and more like reputation management. With the investigation continuing, the global press now seems to agree on one point: this photograph is not just an image — it’s a symbol, and it may define the crisis for years.

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Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

As the fallout from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest continues, the central question is no longer just Andrew — it’s whether King Charles the Third can contain what the Palace now faces as a full-spectrum crisis. BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond notes that no one would envy the King’s position, caught between family loyalty and duty to the Crown, and that the Palace’s attempted separation of “Andrew the outcast” from “the institution” is a distinction the public simply doesn’t accept. To most people, the Palace, the Royal Family and the monarchy remain one and the same.

We also look at the major story that was swallowed by the scandal: the launch of the King’s environmental documentary Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, which was immediately eclipsed by renewed Epstein-linked attention on Andrew. Palace sources describe anger behind the scenes and suggest the timing hardened Charles’s resolve to fully cooperate with investigators and distance his reign from his brother’s controversies. Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Andrew Hastings argues that dragging Andrew to Washington for a congressional appearance risks becoming a “show trial,” while the Express reaches for Tudor-era imagery to describe the speed with which the Palace has moved to push Andrew further out.

In Britain, political pressure is intensifying. Labour MP Rachael Maskell says Andrew should be stripped of remaining constitutional roles and removed from the line of succession, while Deep Crown argues the Counsellor of State issue is no longer a curiosity but a vulnerability — one that demands “managed removal,” not managed distance. And as the Daily Mail’s A.N. Wilson warns that the monarchy is now in grave jeopardy, the Palace is left trying to execute a single calculation: isolate the disgrace, protect the Crown, and keep the succession intact.

Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.

Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may be out of custody, but his legal position remains unresolved. Police searches have concluded at Sandringham and continue at Royal Lodge, and investigators are now reviewing evidence before consulting the Crown Prosecution Service. His release under investigation carries no bail conditions and no time limit.

Charges, if they come, could take weeks or months.If prosecuted, the case would formally be styled The King v Mountbatten-Windsor — a constitutionally routine caption that would nevertheless carry extraordinary symbolism. Criminal prosecutions in England and Wales are brought in the name of the Crown, not the personal will of King Charles. But the optics of “The King versus his brother” would be unprecedented in modern times. 

Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.

Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana