Overview
- Royal biographer Andrew Lownie told an audience at the Oxford Literary Festival that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to Jeffrey Epstein have caused a bigger crisis for the monarchy than Edward VIII’s abdication, and he alleged the late Queen excused her son while MI6 warnings were brushed off.
- Metropolitan Police leaders say they are reviewing a whole range of sexual allegations to decide if they warrant a full criminal case, with further interviews expected by appointment and charging decisions likely to take many months.
- Andrew was arrested in February and held for 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his time as a UK trade envoy, and he has denied wrongdoing.
- Following escalating scrutiny over the Epstein files, he was stripped of his HRH styling and military honours and lost access to Royal Lodge in Windsor.
- Key accusations driving public scrutiny include Virginia Giuffre’s claim that Andrew had sex with her after Epstein trafficked her when she was 17, a contention he disputes and which continues to fuel the palace’s reputational test.