British police arrested the previous Prince Andrew on suspicion of “misconduct in public workplace.” NPR’s Scott Simon speaks to royal professional Jennie Bond in regards to the newest developments.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, spent his 66th birthday in a police station this week. He was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace after revelations within the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata that he’d shared confidential commerce data with the convicted intercourse offender. The previous prince was launched after 11 hours. He has denied any wrongdoing. Jennie Bond has coated the royal household for many years and spent 14 years because the BBC’s royal correspondent and joins us now from London. Jennie, thanks a lot for being with us.
JENNIE BOND: My pleasure.
SIMON: Simply how damaging is that this scandal?
BOND: Nicely, it is an enormous story over right here. The papers have been dominated by it for days, even weeks. And this weekend, it’s web page after web page after web page of study of what this implies for the monarchy, simply how damaging is it? Clearly, it’s tarnishing the popularity of the monarchy, however the palace are very eager to separate monarchy from household. It is a tough separation. However I feel the view – the predominant view – is that Charles has acted fairly decisively, perhaps a bit too late, however fairly decisively on this. And the large information as we speak, the principle line, is whether or not or not Andrew is now going to be faraway from the road of succession as a result of, extremely, he’s nonetheless eighth in line of succession.
SIMON: After all, King Charles stated in a press release, the legislation should take its course and has not intervened. However what in regards to the argument that they have been conscious of significant allegations towards Andrew for years and have successfully protected him?
BOND: Sure. That is the opposite huge debate that is happening. And I feel now we’re at a stage the place we’re demanding extra transparency, extra accountability. I feel folks do need to know precisely that. What did the royal household find out about Andrew’s going-ons (ph)? Nicely, with Epstein, near to the intercourse abuse allegations but additionally now why he was arrested was due to alleged misconduct in public workplace when he was commerce envoy. So we have got two strands happening right here, at the least two. And we have now acquired greater than 11, I feel it’s, police forces on this nation circling Andrew, investigating totally different strands. And there’s this overriding feeling that the palace have gotten to surrender this complete concept of by no means complain, by no means clarify, abandon the outdated fantasy, which matches again to the 1800s, of the you need to not let daylight into the magic of monarchy. It is all nonsense now.
SIMON: There’s some feeling, as I most likely do not need to inform you, in america that, effectively, there’s some admiration for the British authorized system.
BOND: Yeah. I perceive that, however conversely, I have been studying experiences this morning saying that if the People hadn’t determined to launch the Epstein recordsdata, then we would not be the place we at the moment are. And so, I suppose, for that, we must be grateful. However, sure, I feel that legitimately, you would ask now whether or not the American authorities ought to go additional with the folks, not least President Trump, who has been at the least talked about many instances within the Epstein recordsdata. He says he is been exonerated, I do know, and maybe he has been. However I feel the king has acted very decisively right here.
I imply, we had been gobsmacked, veteran correspondents like myself, who’ve lived via a long time of scandals and disaster from the deaths and divorces, the Fergie being discovered topless, having her toe sucked within the south of France, the citadel catching hearth, rows about whether or not the queen ought to pay taxes, all of that has been dreadful. After all, the loss of life of Diana as effectively. However I feel we’ve got been impressed by the best way the king has taken this straight on and saying very clearly, in a sentence that stood out by itself, let me state clearly, the legislation should take its course.
SIMON: Does he need to say that to protect the monarchy?
BOND: Nicely, I feel he does, sure. However I feel he additionally feels it. I imply, there should be absolute despair within the palace. Nicely, I am positive – I do know there’s. I feel Charles has solely been on the throne for a only a few years, and he is been assailed by disaster after disaster – Harry and Meghan, his personal most cancers analysis. He is nonetheless underneath therapy for most cancers. And now this.
SIMON: Do we all know the main target of the police investigation now?
BOND: Nicely, I say, it is many-stranded in the mean time. There’s one police power trying into the allegations of misconduct in public workplace when he was a commerce envoy. And they’re nonetheless, even as we speak, looking Andrew’s former property, Royal Lodge in Windsor. That is an enormous, huge mansion. It is acquired 30 rooms at the least. So there’s so much to undergo there. There’s one other police power which is trying into the previous safety officers who accompanied Andrew world wide, who will need to have been with him when he went to Epstein’s Island, who will need to have been with him when he was at Epstein’s mansion, who might have seen issues. And there’ve been ideas that they probably willfully turned a blind eye to issues they could have seen. So there’s one police power suggesting that their former colleagues ought to come ahead and say what they know. There are lots of strands to this investigation.
SIMON: Jennie Bond, former BBC royal correspondent. Thanks a lot for being with us.
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