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King Charles III has expressed his backing for the ongoing police inquiry involving his brother, Andrew, emphasizing that “the law must take its course,” underscoring a commitment to impartiality.
In the United Kingdom, it became evident on Thursday that even the highest-ranking Royals are not beyond legal scrutiny. King Charles’s brother was taken into custody on charges of “misconduct in public office.” The allegations involve emails containing confidential government information that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, better known as Prince Andrew, is accused of sending to the now-deceased and discredited financier Jeffrey Epstein over 15 years ago. At the time, Andrew was serving as a trade envoy for the British government.
While Andrew has not been legally proven guilty of any wrongdoing related to the alleged sharing of secrets or connections with young women associated with Epstein, King Charles had already acted by removing Andrew’s royal duties and titles last year. Following the recent arrest, the King reiterated his support for the justice system, assuring his cooperation with the authorities, who act under his authority as the head of state.
In a statement today, King Charles III expressed his “deepest concern” regarding the allegations and stressed the necessity for a thorough and fair investigation: “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.”
To eliminate any ambiguity, the King firmly stated: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
For the apparent avoidance of all doubt, the King added: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
British broadsheet The Daily Telegraph states the future King and Queen, Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales, backed the King’s statement.
Prince Andrew, as he was then, had served in the Royal Navy including in combat in the Falklands War as a helicopter pilot. He retired from the armed forces in 2001 and took up a new role as a special representative for international trade and investment for the British government of the time. He was photographed walking in Central Park, New York, with Jeffrey Epstein shortly after the financier was released from prison for child sex offences, causing a scandal around Andrew that triggered his resignation from the trade role in early 2011.
Some media observers have claimed, incredibly, that the arrest is without precedent. This may be the so in recent times, but the political and dynastic fallout of troublesome brothers to various Kings has been the norm in the history of the various royal families in the history of the British Isles and indeed, Wednesday this week was the anniversary of the execution of the Duke of Clarence, the brother of King Richard III, in 1478, allegedly by drowning in a vat of wine.
Police avoided arresting Andrew on such an inauspicious date, however, sweeping down on his residence the following day: his 66th birthday.