What Happens If Ex-Prince Andrew Is Found Guilty, Explained

Royal fans across the globe were left stunned on February 19, 2026, when news broke that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, former prince and eighth in line to the British throne, was arrested. However, many were left with the question: what happens if he is found guilty?

Known as Prince Andrew until late 2025 but stripped of his royal title because of his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the man now known simply as "Andrew" was arrested on the morning of his 66th birthday. Initial reports mentioned only that Andrew had been arrested in connection with misconduct during his tenure as a trade envoy for the United Kingdom, though he notably stepped down from that position in 2011 amid concerns about his connections with Epstein, among other controversies. As for his arrest close to 15 years later, though the Thames Valley Police kept things relatively vague in a statement (noting that it was an active investigation), BBC reported that the arrest was likely linked to claims he'd shared documents with Epstein while he was the envoy. 

To be clear, at the time of writing, Andrew has not been found criminally liable for anything. Nevertheless, many have questioned what it might look like if he was. As it pertains to those in positions of power in the U.K., the consensus seems to be that he would get the same treatment as anyone else accused of wrongdoing. The deputy prime minister, David Lammy (who also serves as the U.K.'s Secretary of State for Justice) told BBC, " ... nobody in this country is above the law. And this is now a police investigation and that must happen in the usual way." King Charles III shared similar sentiments in his statement on the matter, saying, "Let me state clearly: the law must take its course" (via BBC).

For some, the thought that the law would apply to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor the same way it would apply to anyone else sounds like a given. However, it's worth noting that the arrest itself was incredibly out of the ordinary. In an appearance on "Amanpour and Company," Emily Maitlis (who famously conducted the interview that destroyed Andrew's image) said of the arrest, "I'm absolutely stunned ... the last time there was an arrest of a royal it was 1647." As for the misconduct allegations themselves, she said they could be tough to prove, but that punishment could be anything from four years to life in prison. 

Maitlis noted that because of how unprecedented the situation was, there were tons of questions as to what might happen if Andrew was found guilty of any wrongdoing. "And we have to remember that Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne," she said. That said, Maitlis pointed out that when King Charles III stripped his brother's title in 2025, "He was essentially saying, I think, to the forces of justice in this country, 'I don't want to tie your hands. He's my brother, but he is no longer untouchable.'"

Another point Maitlis raised pertained to the royal family's dynamic. "I think the questions now, for the royal family and particularly for the monarch, his brother, will be how close that relationship is made to seem, between the two of them and to the wider public," she mused. Many members of the firm have already distanced themselves from the disgraced former royal, so perhaps we'll see a harder line drawn. As for Andrew himself, the former prince has yet to make a statement after his arrest but has long claimed to be innocent regarding previous allegations on his ties to Epstein.