The announcement of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on his 66th birthday on Thursday, 19th February, will go down in history. And anti-monarchy campaigners are also hoping it will take the Royal Family down with it, asking how can the Windsors survive?
The answer, we at The Royal List believe, is for the Royal Family to act decisively and bring in clear accountability for all its working members. Princess Diana famously disparagingly called the Palace, “The Firm”, saying it was run by “men in grey suits”. What she meant, was it was very difficult for her to navigate the politics of the disparate organisation, where the Royal Households are run independently of each other, like silos of a larger organisation. And back in the 1990s, these Households were making sure Diana didn’t get any power of her own.
But what it also meant, clearly, was many of the Households, such as the Duke of York’s, were left to run their own affairs without crucial checks, or enough due diligence. And so, at 8am on Thursday, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Thames Valley Police also carried out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. He was “released under investigation”, later that day and photographed slumped in the back seat of a car after leaving the police station.
It was the first time a senior member of the Royal Family had been arrested in more than 350 years – the last person being Charles I, who, well, lost his head. The King swiftly put out a statement supporting the police action. “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” he said. “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R.”
The former prince has not been charged, but arrested, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following the release of the Epstein emails, in which dealings with the paedophile financier appear, when Andrew was a trade envoy. He ceased being a working royal in 2019. Police are now going through evidence and it may be weeks, or months, before any charges are made.
He could be – he has been stripped of his royal titles, but remains eighth in line to the throne. To remove him, requires an Act of Parliament and the legal agreement of other countries within the Commonwealth. However, the government is reportedly working on it with Buckingham Palace. Defence Minister Luke Pollard told the BBC, it was the, “right thing to do.”
It is undeniably serious for the Royal Family and their next move, in our opinion, should be to show that the Royal Household is committed to being as transparent as any other public office. It’s an opportunity to terminate old ways of working and move into a sustainable future.
Working royals should have clear boundaries, guidelines and accountability, including their behaviour internally and externally. Yes, it’s a family business, but it needs to be more business than family. Public and private lives are now intertwined and any monarchy in a modern age is going to have to navigate this. They should, in fact, act like The Firm Diana dubbed them and have clear accountability for all within it.
The Households should work together under one umbrella and all staff undergo full scrutiny – including Royal Family members. Prince William has made much of his desire to modernise and frankly, this is the time to do it, with clear communication as to what has been, and will be, done.
Andrew was a favourite of the late Queen and his behaviour indulged. No doubt she hoped problems would go away, but they instead, grew so large they now threaten to overwhelm the Crown.
It’s time to change the “heir and the spare” tradition, where the heir inherits the Duchy of Cornwall, with all its millions, while the spares get nothing – barring a job for life, if they want it. While Anne and Edward managed this without complaint, Andrew – and Harry, it has to be said – balked at it.
It does feel outdated to load one family member with multiple homes, palaces and land and then basically wish the others good luck, whilst living in the public eye. But it does underline how Harry and Meghan’s desire to be “half-in, half-out” was never going to work. Either you raise your children to understand they need to make their own way in life (hello, Zara and Peter), or if they’re going into the family Firm, you make it fair.
Presumably William will not want to inflict the same unfairness onto his children. It’s said when he takes the throne, his working pool will be extremely streamlined and therefore more manageable than the current system, which is, according to The Telegraph, basically unchanged since Queen Victoria’s time.
William has said he’s going to be the “changemaker king” and we say the time for change is now.
Charles at London Fashion Week on Thursday, and Kate at Twickenham for the rugby on Saturday. Pic: Royal Family, Prince and Princess of Wales Instas
Keeping calm and carrying on, was the motto for Charles and the rest of the family, on what must have been an incredibly difficult day. Yet, as the King clearly stated after the arrest of his brother: “Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R.” Keeping his promise, he arrived at London Fashion Week, illustrating that the show must go on. Looking dapper, if understandably a bit tired, in a pale grey Anderson & Sheppard suit, Charles sat on the front row, next to fashion royalty Stella McCartney as they supported British-Nigerian Tolu Coker’s catwalk show.
Camilla and Anna style it out. Pic: Royal Family Insta
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla was hosting fashion queen, Dame Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director, at Clarence House to discuss British fashion and the work of The Queen’s Reading Room, a charity dedicated to promoting and celebrating the benefits of reading. Anna even took off her signature sunglasses for the occasion.
It was all about rugby yesterday with Princess Anne and The Princess of Wales attending the Six Nations Rugby Union tournament. Catherine, as patron of England RFU, was at Twickenham where she saw her team lose 21-42 to Ireland. Anne, patron of Scottish RFU, was at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium celebrating her beloved Scotland’s 23-26 victory against Wales. At the close of a challenging week for the crisis-hit Royal Family, at least there was something to cheer about.