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In brief
- Victims of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have welcomed former prince Andrew’s arrest.
- King Charles said authorities had the “full and wholehearted support and co-operation” of the royal family.
Trigger Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics, including child abuse and suicide.
The shocking arrest of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has sparked worldwide outrage over his alleged actions, with King Charles backing a thorough investigation into the accusations against his younger sibling.
This development has also reignited discussions about the republican movement in Australia, a nation with historical ties to the British monarchy.
On Thursday, British authorities detained Mountbatten-Windsor as part of an inquiry into alleged misconduct during his tenure as a trade envoy. He was held for 10 hours before being released without any charges.
In response to the arrest, King Charles released a statement affirming the royal family’s “full and wholehearted support and cooperation” with the ongoing investigation.
The King said he learned of his younger brother’s arrest “with the deepest concern” and that “the law must take its course”.
“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.”
The convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy has urged the British royal family to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession to the royal throne.
David Flint, who led the monarchist group since 1999, said on Friday it would be a “matter of propriety” to remove Mountbatten-Windsor from the line, even though he’s unlikely to succeed.
But Flint also pointed out it would require all 15 Commonwealth countries to agree to change the order of succession in order to remove the former prince.
Nathan Hansford, co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement, said the group won’t speculate on the arrest as it’s now under the investigation of the UK authorities.
But Hansford said the arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor had a “broader point for Australia”, as he called for the country to reflect on who should represent Australia as our head of state.
PM responds to former prince’s arrest
Speaking to The Guardian Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor over misconduct of public office as “serious”.
“These are very serious allegations, and because they will be, no doubt, the subject of court action, I’m limited in what I can say,” Albanese said on Friday.
But Albanese, who expressed support for Australia becoming a republic whilst he was in opposition, has watered down the potential of Australia holding a republic referendum.
“I’m a republican but we had a referendum during the last term,” he said. “Referendums are hard to pass in Australia.”
“I have respect for King Charles, I must say, and for Queen Camilla. I have had a good relationship with him. He very much loves Australia. And his visit here, I must say, was a very positive one.”
“But that doesn’t change the fact I think there should [eventually] be an Australian head of state.”
US President Donald Trump said the former prince’s arrest was a sad day for the royal family.
“I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family,” he said.
“It’s a very sad thing to see it and to see what’s going on with [King Charles’] brother, who’s obviously coming to our country very soon, and he’s a fantastic man, the king.”
Health Minister Mark Butler also reacted to Mountbatten-Windsor’s fall.
“What a fall from grace,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program on Friday morning.
“A man we knew for decades as Prince Andrew, His Royal Highness, is now just a man in his 60s from Norfolk.”
Deputy Opposition leader Jane Hume made similar comments, saying the arrest showed “nobody was above the law”.
“The misconduct in public office is a very serious allegation. We should let the full course of the law take its place, but it’s also a reminder that nobody is above the law,” she said.
Family of Virginia Giuffre speak up
The family of Virginia Giuffre, who settled a civil lawsuit against Mountbatten-Windsor with an undisclosed sum, thanked King Charles for “standing behind survivors”.
Giuffre, who took her own life last year in Western Australia, alleged she was forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor at 17 after being trafficked by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In an interview with Reuters news agency, Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts welcomed news of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest and also called on US authorities to take action against Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators.
“This is where the house of cards starts falling,” Roberts said in a joint interview with his wife, Amanda Roberts.
Amanda Roberts said Andrew’s arrest had prompted a “mixed bag of emotions”.
“Initially, we were … vindicated and screaming, at one point at 3am, and then it just hits you — that gut punch of the fact that she’s not here to see this, that we’re not able to call her and tell her how astronomically proud we are of her,” she said.
In a separate interview with the BBC, the couple also praised the King for his response following Andrew’s arrest, while calling on the US government to take action.
Roberts said that although Andrew’s arrest “may not be a direct correlation to what the sexual assault allegations may be”, it was “a win” for his sister and other survivors and “a very good start to opening an investigation”.
“I think to hear the King come out and acknowledge the fact that there needs to be an investigation, the law should be followed, like it should be followed for anybody that should be held to this type of investigation,” Roberts said.
“So I commend the King. I say thank you to the King and to the royal family for standing behind survivors, but also just standing behind their people to say, it doesn’t matter … your wealth or your power, you don’t have a different set of laws for you that don’t apply to other people.”
Amanda Roberts told the BBC that the family was hit with a “wave of emotions” when hearing the news of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
“There’s still this underlying issue of survivors not getting their day in court and not seeing judicial, legal action,” she said.
“However, we still are true in believing that it is the breadcrumb to the larger dinner.”
Roberts hopes the arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor will open up a further investigation into the sexual assault allegations against the former prince. “So it still is a win.”
Another of Epstein’s victims, Maria Farmer, who is believed to have been the first to report Epstein and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell to the police, also welcomed the news.
“Today is just the beginning of accountability and justice brought forth by Virginia Roberts Giuffre — a young mother who adored her daughter so deeply, she fought the most powerful on earth to protect her,” she said.
“She did this for everyone’s daughters. Let’s now demand all the dominos of power and corruption begin to fall.”
— With additional reporting by Reuters news agency,
Readers seeking crisis support can ring Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). More information and support with mental health is available at beyondblue.org.au and on 1300 22 4636.
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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