Kevin O’Sullivan speaks to royal biographer Andrew Lownie after the dramatic arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Lownie, whose book Entitled: The Decline and Fall of the House of York helped expose alleged corruption at the heart of the York household, says he is “thrilled the police have acted as swiftly as they have” and admits he feared the former prince might “do a runner” before facing justice. While stressing there have been no charges and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has denied any wrongdoing, Lownie describes the move as a watershed moment for royal accountability.

He argues the arrest may “lance the boil” for the monarchy, restoring public faith that “the royals are not above the law,” but warns the implications could stretch far beyond one man. Lownie claims the King “knew far more than he’s saying” about past attempts to contain the scandal, and insists officials, aides and former trade envoys should now be questioned. “I approached 3,000 people,” he reveals, many of whom refused to speak, adding he is willing to hand material not yet in the public domain to investigators.

Calling this a potential “Me Too moment of the monarchy,” Lownie says the institution must embrace transparency on finances, archives and oversight if it is to retain public trust. As police examine allegations linked to Jeffrey Epstein, trade missions and confidential disclosures, he warns this could become “far more important than the abdication” in terms of modern royal crisis. Whether the arrest satisfies public anger or opens deeper questions about who knew what and when, Lownie says, will define the future of the Crown.

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