Experts Warn Ex-Prince Andrew’s Scandal Could Break the Royal Family’s Bond With Britain
The former Prince Andrew’s spiraling scandals threaten to upend the royal family’s relationship with its subjects, experts warn.
The ex-Duke of York – now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He’s suspected of sharing confidential information with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the U.K’s special envoy for international trade.
King Charles says ‘law must take its course’ as royal family fights to contain crisis
The arrest was just the latest blow for Andrew, who has been pushed out of royal life, stripped of his titles, and evicted from his home at Royal Lodge because of his ties to Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The scandals have engulfed his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, and could affect the role his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, play in the royal family going forward.
But it’s not just Andrew and his immediate family who are at risk because of his links to Epstein. The situation could further erode the British public’s trust in the royal family and the reputation of the monarchy. Sensing that the royal family is facing a delicate moment, Andrew’s older brother, King Charles III, has made it clear that his brother is not above the law.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” he said in a statement after Andrew’s arrest.
Recent reports suggest that key U.K. political leaders are also seriously considering removing Andrew from the line of succession. (He is currently eighth in line for the throne, after Charles’ two sons and his five grandchildren.) Buckingham Palace is involved in those plans, the BBC reports.
Insiders have claimed that Andrew’s arrest has shaken the royal family, who fear he could spill secrets during an investigation.
“Behind the scenes, the royals must be extremely worried that more damaging information could leak, and that Andrew might reveal secrets about The Firm to seek leniency if the case goes to court,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. “His police protection team once nicknamed him ‘Blabbermouth,’ because he talked about everything.”
“This whole saga could bring the monarchy down, leaving [Prince] William furious regarding his own future,” he added.
Survey show declining support for the monarchy in the U.K.
Data suggests that Andrew’s behavior has already hurt the British public’s opinion of the monarchy. A February 2026 survey by Ipsos (conducted prior to Andrew’s arrest) found that 37% of Britons believe abolishing the monarchy would be worse for the country, down from 47% in November 2025. Twenty-five percent think it would be better, up 4% from the November survey. Just 47% of Britons had a favourable opinion of the royal family as a whole, down seven percentage points from November 2025.
“These findings suggest that the latest Andrew revelations have damaged the Royal Family in the court of public opinion,” Keiran Pedley, Director of UK Politics at Ipsos, said. “The public are less likely to think the royals are handling the issue well and less likely to think it would be a bad thing if the institution was abolished. However, it is unclear how lasting any damage will be. Only one in four think it would be better of the Monarchy was abolished and 8 in 10 still think it will exist in 10 years time.”
Other surveys have also found declines in support for the monarchy, even before the latest round of bad headlines involving Andrew. In 2012, just over three quarters of U.K. adults said it was important for the country to have a monarchy. By the fall of 2023, that number has fallen to 54%, according to British Social Attitudes survey conducted by the National Centre for Social Research.
For more news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram.
