Andrew 'Still Can’t See What the Problem is’ — Expert Says He's 'Obsessed With Other Details'
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest on February 19 underscored how public pressure, and the bravery of those who speak up, can hold even the most powerful to account. While many rejoiced that justice had been served, the former Prince reportedly remained aloof, struggling to grapple with the fallout of his controversial past. According to royal expert Andrew Lownie, despite the shame of his arrest, Mountbatten-Windsor appeared preoccupied with minor details in his home, unwilling to accept that his actions carried real consequences.
Speaking to The Guardian, Lownie claimed that a journalist who reported late at night after Mountbatten-Windsor's release from detention said, "Andrew still can't see what the problem is. He thinks he's been hard done by. He's obsessed with other details – whether he can take his horses up to Norfolk, who's going to get the dogs, and where he's going to park his car. It's a sort of disassociation." The former Prince was released after 11 hours of questioning at the Aylsham Police Station the same night. He was pictured stunned and slumped back in his Range Rover after being driven home from the police station.
Furthermore, the royal expert questioned how Mountbatten-Windsor was able to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, despite being cut off as a senior royal in 2019. He continued, "Andrew has been able to enjoy such an extravagant lifestyle without any obvious sources of income beyond his naval pension, family money he may have inherited, and handouts first from Queen Elizabeth and now King Charles. He travels by private jet, has a collection of watches and expensive cars – including a £150,000 ($202,318) Patek Philippe watch, a £220,000 ($296,734) Bentley and a brand-new £80,000 ($107,903) Range Rover." In his book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, Lownie had alleged that the former Duke of York funded his extravagant lifestyle through shady business deals and under-the-radar activities.
In the aftermath of his arrest, Lownie stressed that the Palace was now in damage-limitation mode, letting Mountbatten-Windsor alone deal with the consequences of his actions. He argued, "Everyone understands that bit – and certainly not go anywhere near the national security scandal. The plan [of the Palace], I think, at the moment, is to throw Andrew to the wolves." Indeed, merely two hours after his detention, King Charles released a statement expressing his 'deepest concern' regarding the arrest, but pledged his full faith in the judicial system.
As per the BBC, Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest follows confirmation from Thames Valley Police that they were looking into a complaint filed by the anti-monarchy group, Republic. The group alleged that the former Prince shared confidential information with Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the UK's trade envoy. The emails were made public last month, on January 30, by the US Department of Justice as part of the Epstein files. Trade envoys are responsible for encouraging British business overseas and are meant to keep government information confidential, even after leaving the position, which Mountbatten-Windsor breached for his questionable friendship.