1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: So the King's brother has been arrested overnight Andrew former 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: prince of course alleged misconduct and public office. No charges 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: have been laid yet as far as we know, just 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: arrested in for questioning at the police station as we speak. 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: We spoke to Vincent mcavney, are UK correspondent earlier. 6 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 2: You know, he is potentially a flight risk. 7 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: We saw that with the former King of Spain who 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: disappeared to the Middle East when he was facing serious, 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: you know, accusations. Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, joins us 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: now from the UK. Richard, good morning, good evening to you. 11 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 2: Good morning. 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: So a shock or did we seek kindness expect that 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: something like this would happen and how does its play 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: out for the royal family? 15 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 2: How? Indeed a very very pertinent question. I mean I 16 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: think that with for example, the Daily Mail pressure on 17 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 2: Andrew is nine police forces, probe files, the whole variety 18 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 2: of allegations. I mean, what they've charged him with was 19 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 2: miss Combert in public office, which meant giving confidential material 20 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 2: or when he was special trade endpoy to Epstein or 21 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: similar sources. So there's no doubt at all that this 22 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: is completely unprecedented. What is of course so shocking is 23 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: the behavior of Andrew mount Battenbins and his former wife 24 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: Sarah Ferguson. I mean this over a long period of years. 25 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,199 Speaker 2: But when it comes to criminality, that is what we're 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: focusing on. What we've got clearly is the charges linked 27 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: to the sharing of confidential information which most emphactically should 28 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: not have occurred. But also, of course, as you well know, 29 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: there are the charges linked to his disastrous friendship with 30 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and of course a photograph 31 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: of him with Virginia Robins Geoffrey, which we now know 32 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: is a genuine one. She tragically committed suicide last year, 33 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: a case settled for twelve million pounds which she brought 34 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: against him in my twenty twenty two facts are that 35 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: with this area trafficking allegations and so forth, because Epstein 36 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: is supposed to have possibly brought women into Britain, this 37 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 2: is also something that may rear its head. With the 38 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: Epstein files having brought to light so much, what more 39 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 2: will in fact come. I mean, this is one of 40 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 2: the reasons it places the palace, which have been very 41 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: much on the back foot dealing with this in a 42 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: possible position. 43 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and this statement from the King that the law 44 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 1: must take its course. Do you think he's done enough 45 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: to kind of insulate himself from Andrew. 46 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 2: I don't think it's possible to say, because we don't 47 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,119 Speaker 2: know what is going to come up more in the 48 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: in the files. I also think that it's very, very 49 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 2: difficult in the coming weeks and months to keep calm 50 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: and carry on, which is essentially the royal family's job 51 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: as a symbol of national unity, projection of soft power. 52 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 2: They're chalitable work and sand which is invaluable. It's an 53 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: institution with over a thousand years. But I mean, to 54 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: find a president for this you have to go back 55 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: to the sixteenth century where Mary, Queen of Scott's, arrested 56 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: Princess Elizabeth most memorably. I mean, it really is an 57 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: extraordinarily difficult time for the royals. But I mean we 58 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: was also think of the victims of Epstein and how, 59 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 2: for example, some of them may bring cases. It's possible anything, 60 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: quite frankly, is possible because there's this global network of 61 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: millionaires and billionaires who thought that they were above the law, 62 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: and it would see Andrew man Batten Windsor is in 63 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: for a very very tough ride, but so is the 64 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: royal family and this is going to play out all 65 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: in the public. 66 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: Gays, Richard Fitzwilliams, appreciate your update this morning. For more 67 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News 68 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: Talks it'd be from five am weekdays, or follow the 69 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.