Ex-Prince Andrew is now more “vulnerable” than ever to possible legal punishment for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The claim was made by multiple royal experts who spoke to Fox News Digital about Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the former royal who was once hailed as Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite son.
On Oct. 30, King Charles III stripped his disgraced brother of his royal titles. He evicted him from the palatial Royal Lodge after weeks of pressure to act over Andrew’s relationship with the late sex offender.
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“Unsettled Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is vulnerable to charges being made against him,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.
“Andrew, stripped of his titles and accolades, and no longer protected by his royal status, is now exposed to prosecutions to be brought against him. There is public resentment about the way Andrew operated. Andrew has taken the fall and, understandably, the royal family is keen to distance themselves from the scandals.”
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich agreed.
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“Andrew is currently more legally and publicly vulnerable than ever,” she said.
“The likely route to an actual arrest or prosecution remains complex and will depend upon evidentiary developments. The public pressure for such, as well as scrutiny and intense media interest, will not abate. What has changed is that the removal of royal styles and titles was a formal barrier that gave him a degree of protection.”
In 2019, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s “Newsnight,” where he attempted to explain his friendship with Epstein, who died that year behind bars.
In that same interview, Andrew said he didn’t recall meeting Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American woman who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.
Shortly afterward, Andrew stepped down from public life over his association with Epstein, despite his denials of wrongdoing. In 2021, Giuffre sued Andrew, and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
According to court documents, the prince acknowledged that Giuffre was “an established victim of abuse.” Several reports suggested that the queen helped fund the settlement in hopes of resolving the matter quickly and quietly.
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Giuffre died in April of this year. She was 41. Her posthumous memoir, “Nobody’s Girl,” was published on Oct. 21.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told Fox News Digital: “Our thoughts are with Ms. Giuffre’s family and friends following her death. In 2015, we were made aware of allegations around non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation. This related to events outside the U.K. and an allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001.”
“Officers assessed the available evidence, interviewed the complainant, liaised with other law enforcement agencies who led investigations into these matters, and obtained early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service,” said the spokesperson. “Following the legal advice, it was clear that any investigation into human trafficking would be largely focused on activities and relationships outside the U.K.
“Officers, therefore, concluded that other jurisdictions and organizations were better placed to pursue the specific allegations, and, in November 2016, a decision was made that this matter would not proceed to a full criminal investigation. That decision was subsequently reviewed.”
On Oct. 19, People magazine reported that authorities are “actively” looking into allegations that Andrew attempted to uncover information about Giuffre.
Leaked email correspondence suggested that the 65-year-old asked his police protection officer, a taxpayer-funded position, to uncover personal information about Giuffre over a decade ago.
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According to reports, there’s no suggestion that the officer complied with Andrew’s request. Fox News Digital reached out to the Metropolitan Police for comment.
“Andrew is now a commoner and, in my opinion, not immune from prosecution now,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. “The Metropolitan Police are believed to be investigating any potential misdemeanors and, under extradition rules between the U.K. and the United States, a potential warrant could be served demanding appearances in a court case.
“Many advocates are saying that Andrew should volunteer information on all he knows about the Epstein case,” Turner added.
Royal media commentator Meredith Constant stressed that Andrew has not been charged with any crimes and continues to deny all allegations made against him.
“Before any potential legal action, there would need to be investigations,” Constant told Fox News Digital. “What people forget is that it’s not just his involvement with Epstein and claims made against him by Virginia Giuffre; there are also growing calls to investigate his tenure as U.K. Trade Envoy and accusations that Andrew misused his role for his own personal gain.”
“Starting the process of removing Andrew’s titles doesn’t necessarily make him ripe for investigation; it was a reactionary measure by the British monarchy to stop the bleeding, so to speak,” said Constant. “Investigating Andrew could reveal more about the monarchy, especially around finances, or how the government has prevented journalists from investigating his time as U.K. Trade Envoy.”
“Right now, the monarchy’s messaging is that this is ‘one bad apple,’ and casting him off to a private estate outside of London solves all the problems,” she continued. “In reality, more digging into Andrew could expose and take down other individuals and even institutions.
“I respectfully disagree with Ian Pelham Turner. I think making Andrew a ‘commoner’ hurts the monarchy because it calls into question the entire system, which is based on a belief that this is a special bloodline. If the monarch can just take away titles received at birth, what makes them different from any other citizen in the U.K.?”
Still, there’s no denying that there’s mounting pressure from the public to ensure Andrew is held accountable.
The Telegraph reported that Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign group, has instructed its legal team to look into a series of allegations made against the father of two, including claims he used his role as trade ambassador for private gains and Giuffre’s claims of sexual abuse.
“If not us, then who?” Graham Smith, Republic’s chief executive, told the outlet. “It’s a devastating indictment on the U.K.’s criminal justice system, police and politicians — not to mention the king and heir — that we must resort to a private prosecution. … It should be a cause for concern that so many people believe — rightly, in my view — that the royals are not treated equally in law. Equality in law is a basic tenet of democracy.”
“I firmly believe there is strong enough evidence to justify a serious investigation,” said Smith. “The authorities and politicians appear to want to look the other way, while minimizing the accusations made against Andrew. The truth must prevail, and justice must be seen to be done.”
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Chard believes that Andrew, who’s been keeping a low profile, will be taking note of his plummeting popularity in his home country.
“Andrew is being pushed into exile here in the U.K.,” she said. “However, it will not be surprising if he relocates to a country that doesn’t have an extradition treaty in place. I doubt he would enjoy an all-bells-and-whistles lifestyle at sleepy Wood Farm in Sandringham for long, if at all. He could seek refuge, escape the public eye and enjoy a luxurious new life in the sunny Middle East.”
Fordwich also noted that public outcry cannot be ignored for long.
“I don’t see members of the family further shielding Andrew’s disreputable behavior,” she said. “Public support for the monarchy itself depends on enforcing such accountability.”
Still, Constant doesn’t believe Andrew is losing any sleep at night. He is expected to move to a property on the king’s Sandringham estate and receive private financial support from his brother.
“He has no reason to doubt that at the end of the day, he will be protected,” she said. “History proves it.”
