British detectives are continuing searches of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home after his release from custody following an arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his past relationship with convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as a U.K. trade envoy from 2001 to 2011, denies any wrongdoing.
He was detained for about 11 hours before being released, according to accounts of the operation. The inquiry centers on allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time promoting British trade abroad.
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Royal historian Andrew Lownie said the development represents a pivotal test for the British royal family. “I do think this is the monarchy’s ‘Me Too’ moment and we’re now getting a new monarchy,” Lownie told the Behind the Story program, adding that the institution faces a deeper reckoning over standards, accountability and who knew what, and when.
Lownie argued that Mountbatten-Windsor’s decade as trade envoy suffered from weak controls and blurred lines. “No one quite really knew what to do with him, no one wanted him there, so he was kind of sometimes imposed,” he said. “There was no proper oversight — and when people did raise questions, saying the expenses are enormous, they were told the Queen has okayed it.” He also alleged that Sarah Ferguson, Mountbatten-Windsor’s former wife, “would carry along on his coattails picking up business cards as she went along.”
Lownie said the royal household has effectively distanced itself from Mountbatten-Windsor and warned that the public will demand broader answers. “Andrew’s going to have to take the brunt of this,” he said. “I suspect public opinion will now be asking other questions about what was known, when it was known and what they did about it.”
Those questions may reach the highest levels. King Charles has promised “full and wholehearted support and co-operation” with authorities, Lownie noted, but he said the monarch may still face scrutiny over the years when concerns first arose. “The King is bankrolling him,” Lownie said. “If he is going to cooperate with authorities, I think perhaps he could be a little bit clearer about what he knew, when he knew it and what was done.”
Lownie, whose forthcoming 2025 book, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,” examines the family’s modern travails, said the recent release of Epstein-related files has shifted the landscape. His book, he said, “loosened the earth” around Mountbatten-Windsor, while the new disclosures “have just tipped the thing over — I mean there’s no way back now.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any misconduct related to Epstein. The ongoing searches underscore the seriousness of the probe, but investigators have not publicly laid out a timeline for next steps. The royal family has not commented in detail beyond commitments to cooperate with authorities.
The case amplifies long-running tensions over transparency and accountability in royal-adjacent roles, particularly when those roles intersect with government and commerce. As detectives continue their work, the outcome could help define expectations for oversight around public responsibilities carried out by members of the family — and test how far the modern monarchy is willing to go to meet those expectations.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
