By Molly Claire Goddard
2:06pm PST, Mar 5, 2026
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According to royal expert
Andrew Morton,
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest has forced King Charles III to surrender control over how The Firm is perceived, calling him a "spectator to his own family's crisis" amid the scandal. "The King has done the only thing he can — which is to step back and allow the law to take its course," he said during an appearance on
Sky News via
Daily Express.
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Despite King Charles III's attempts to distance the family from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the Jeffrey Epstein connection may be too much to overcome. "The price of that high ground is that the 'blood,' the scandal, continues to seep into the public consciousness," Andrew Morton said. "You cannot just mop that up with a press release when the police are still knocking on doors at Sandringham or Windsor."
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With the authorities involved, King Charles III will have to deal with every possible as it's made public. "This [the investigation] is something entirely different," Andrew Morton said. "There is no cut-off point. Because this is now a police-led investigation, it will rumble on for years. Every Monday morning, the Palace will wake up to a new headline, a new revelation from the investigation, or a new legal hurdle."
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The Firm will have to be careful navigating this hurdle, as it has the potential to take down the royal family. "This is a turning point. The institution is remarkably resilient — it has survived civil wars and abdications — but it will survive this by shrinking," Andrew Morton said. "We are looking at a future that looks more like the Spanish or Dutch monarchies. The days of a sprawling royal family with dozens of minor royals living in grace-and-favor homes are over."
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office — while he was serving as the U.K.'s trade envoy — for allegedly giving information to Jeffrey Epstein. "I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office," King Charles III said in a statement via
People. "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. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all."
