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How much could the arrest of former Prince Andrew hurt the Royal Family?

2026-02-20 08:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

How could the arrest of King Charles' brother affect the Palace, the Royal Family, and the monarchy in any way other than badly?

Former Prince Andrew was taken from his home on the King's Sandringham estate, taken into custody and fingerprinted.

No one would envy the King's position now. His supporters appreciate the actions he has already taken - stripping his brother of his titles and house, and promising to cooperate with any investigation.

Some believe that the arrest will give the Royal Family and the Palace some breathing room, and that treating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as another suspect will minimize the damage done.

This can be a point of comfort on a day of terrible news.

For years, for decades, the Palace, the institution that serves the Royal Family under its direction, has drawn a dividing line between the public role of family members and their private lives.

There is no doubt about the struggle the King has had, balancing family loyalty and his duty to the crown. As Andrew has withdrawn from public life, the Palace has also withdrawn from representing him.

But the distinction, so important to the Palace, is completely forgotten by most people. The Palace, the Royal Family, the monarchy, all seem to be one.

Andrew may not have been on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for some time. But for more than six decades he was part of what his father, Prince Philip, called the "family business."

Mountbatten-Windsor is the former Prince Andrew and remains in the line of succession to the Crown. Royal blood is the hallmark of a hereditary monarchy.

Even if he were just an "ordinary man," his past relationship with the Royal Family and the country would be enough to drag the monarchy into this controversy.

Who knows what might come out of the cooperation with the investigations that the King has promised?

The palace highlights the King's unprecedented moves so far - stripping Andrew of his titles and household, offering assistance and refraining in any way from seeking favors from the authorities.

There is no doubt about the struggle the King has had, balancing family loyalty, a situation he inherited upon ascending to the throne, and his duty to the Crown.

But monarchy is about continuity, it is an accumulation of what has happened before, as well as a living thing that responds to the present.

The King's supporters emphasize how much he has done. Critics will ask why he didn't act sooner, why he wasn't more curious as the reports and allegations mounted, and at what point and why he changed his approach to the former prince.

The drama of the day will die down, but the damage has already been done. The question for the Palace, the Royal Family and the Crown is how much more damage can be done? /Taken from BBC