LONDON 

Revelations in the case of convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could have “huge ramifications around the world” and inflict lasting damage on constitutional monarchies, the head of an anti-monarchy group said following this week’s brief arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, with police inquiries into the former royal continuing.

Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic, which advocates the elimination of the British monarchy, told Anadolu that the case had “blown open a lid on this whole culture of rich and powerful men thinking they can get away with anything."

"And that's going to do huge damage to monarchies everywhere, particularly the ones in democratic countries and certainly ours," he added.

Smith said former Prince Andrew’s central role in the controversy had intensified scrutiny of the royal household.

“And I think the fact that Andrew is at the heart of this, and that has been dragging on for years, we've known about these allegations for years, and everyone's known that he's (been) someone of questionable reputation for years, and they've done nothing about it, and they've tried to hide, and they've tried to pay off victims. That's going to cause huge damage to this monarchy,” he said.

His comments come amid continuing police searches at Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, Royal Lodge, a day after he was released under investigation.

'I hope it's a proper investigation, but we'll have to wait and see'

The former prince was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of misconduct in public office and taken to a Norfolk police station for questioning.

The younger brother of King Charles served as the UK’s trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. He withdrew from royal duties in 2019 after his connection to Epstein – who died the same year in a jail cell – became public.

According to a January US release of files related to Epstein, on Oct. 7, 2010, Andrew sent Epstein details of his official upcoming trips as trade envoy to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China, and Hong Kong.

The former royal has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

He was released under investigation by Thames Valley Police on Thursday evening after spending much of his 66th birthday in custody.

Being released under investigation means he faces no restrictions and is not subject to conditions such as curfews or travel bans.

Buckingham Palace has previously said it would support Thames Valley Police in their inquiries.

After his brother’s arrest, King Charles said “the law must take its course.”

Smith said the handling of the investigation would be closely watched.

“It's being done properly, certainly at the moment, how far they take it is another question. Whether there's any pressure on them to truncate it, to shorten it. We'll have to wait and see, but it certainly has the appearance of a proper investigation,” he said.

“The fact that they arrested them and took them to a police station is quite extraordinary. I hope it's a proper investigation, but we'll have to wait and see.”

'I reported Andrew to the police over separate allegations'

Smith said he had previously reported Andrew to the police over separate allegations.

“It was over two weeks ago that I reported Andrew for the 2010 allegations of trafficking, which was a different young woman to Virginia Giuffre. I have, two years ago, reported him on the Virginia Giuffre allegations,” he said, adding that an earlier complaint was dismissed on the basis that it had already been examined.

Giuffre was one of the most prominent accusers of Epstein, and after her suicide last year at age 41, her family has continued to advocate for survivors and victims of sex trafficking.

On the most recent allegations, Smith said: “This latest one, these allegations, he's been arrested for … I reported to the police, started last week, and as far as I was the only one that did that, and that they are following up on that report.”

He argued that the scale of the scandal left police with little room to maneuver, citing the high-profile case involving Peter Mandelson, who last year served briefly as British ambassador to the US before being dismissed over his ties to Epstein. Mandelson earlier this month resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords, and police began a criminal investigation into alleged misconduct in public office.

“It's very difficult for them to say, well, you know: ‘We'll do that with Mandelson, but not with Andrew.’ So they were kind of boxed in,” Smith said.

Asked whether the latest developments marked a decisive turning point for the monarchy, Smith said it was “certainly approaching the end,” but added whether it is “the end of the end or the beginning of the end” remains to be seen.

Legislation to remove Andrew from line of royal succession

Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne, although several younger royals stand ahead of him, making it highly unlikely he would ever become king. Legally, however, that still remains a possibility, however distant.

The British government is now considering introducing legislation to remove Andrew from the line of royal succession amid the uproar following his arrest.

He also technically remains a counsellor of state, able in theory to stand in for the monarch if required, although in practice only working royals are called upon to carry out those duties.

Voices from the public

Outside Buckingham Palace, the latest revelations surrounding Andrew have sparked sharp reactions from the public.

Linda, from South Wales, expressed frustration over Andrew's handling of the allegations.

"If he says he’s innocent, (then he should) go to America and say you’re innocent over there," she said. "Go to court and stand up for your rights, but he knows he is guilty."

She called the details of the scandal "disgusting," adding that someone in his position should have shown more "common sense and compassion."

The sentiment was echoed by international visitors too.

One German tourist said that a person’s status – royal or otherwise – should not grant them immunity.

"No matter if you are royal, no matter if you are a civilian ... If you use the trust of people for something criminal, you need to be charged," she stated.

The tourist, a onetime fan of the late Princess Diana, who also had issues with the royal family, added that she is now more interested in "democratic politics" than the lives of the prominent.