The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, on Thursday morning has sent shockwaves through the British monarchy, marking an unprecedented moment in modern royal history. Detained on his 66th birthday, he is the first senior royal to be taken into police custody, further tarnishing the institution's image amid years of scandal.
From Favorite Son to Royal Outcast
Born Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward in 1960, he was reportedly the favorite child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Before the birth of his nephew Prince William in 1982, Andrew was second in line to the throne, following his brother Charles and sister Anne. His early life included education in Britain and a brief stint as an exchange student at Lakefield College School in Ontario, Canada.
To earn his family's favor, Andrew entered military service at age 19, training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. He became a pilot in 1981 and served heroically during the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982. His mother promoted him as her personal aide in 1984, and in 1986, she bestowed upon him the titles Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh.
Marriage, Scandal, and Public Fall from Grace
Andrew's profile rose with his marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, with whom he had two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. However, their separation in March 1992 contributed to what Queen Elizabeth famously called an "annus horribilis." The couple divorced in 1996 but remained close friends.
After 22 years in the navy, Andrew was appointed as the U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in 2001. This role ended in 2011 when he resigned following revelations of his association with Jeffrey Epstein, the late U.S. financier and convicted sex offender. Reports also surfaced of questionable meetings, including lunch with a member of the former Tunisian regime and vacations with a Libyan gun smuggler.
Legal Battles and Royal Estrangement
In 2015, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre alleged that Andrew forced her to have sex in Florida when she was 17 years old. A disastrous BBC interview in 2019 saw him dispute these claims while discussing his friendship with Epstein. Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit for sexual assault in August 2021, and after a New York judge rejected Andrew's attempt to dismiss the case in January 2022, he settled with a multi-million dollar payment the following month.
Amid this fallout, Queen Elizabeth died in September 2022 at age 96. In October 2025, Andrew withdrew from public duties due to ongoing accusations. King Charles then stripped him of his prince title and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor, relocating to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. This move was expedited in early February 2026 after the latest batch of Epstein files was released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Historic Arrest and Ongoing Investigation
Andrew's arrest on Thursday is linked to a police investigation into possible misconduct during his time as a trade representative. This detention underscores his transformation from a beloved royal to a pariah, highlighting the deep scars left by his Epstein ties. As the monarchy grapples with this crisis, Andrew's story serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of scandal within one of the world's most storied institutions.
