Former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has emerged from his first arrest in modern history looking defeated and broken, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said.
Andrew was dramatically arrested at Sandringham on Thursday as bombshell new claims rocked the Royal Family.
The 66-year-old was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office as police were seen outside his Norfolk home, but the legal process and possible next steps remain unclear to many readers.
“For once, I agree with Sir Keir Starmer: no one is above the law,” Rees-Mogg told GB News. “We now see that the former Prince Andrew has left prison in a very depressed state, looking like a defeated, broken man.”
Rees-Mogg drew comparisons to dramatic episodes from British history, “It’s the first arrest of a royal, I think, arguably, since the Duke of Monmouth, who had his head cut off in the 1680s for rebelling against James II… although George I kept his wife locked up in Hanover for a time.”
The former MP stressed the constitutional significance of the case, highlighting that Andrew’s arrest underscores the principle that the law applies to everyone, regardless of status, which resonates with the public’s desire for fairness and justice.
Legal experts and royal commentators have noted the rarity of such an arrest in the UK, emphasising its impact on public perceptions of the monarchy and the precedent it sets for accountability at the highest levels.
“Be you ever so high, the law is above you,” Rees-Mogg said, underlining the historic nature of Andrew’s fall from grace.
Within hours, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed he had handed detectives a five-page memorandum on Thursday. This new evidence aims to strengthen the case and reassure the public that investigations are thorough and ongoing.
The explosive dossier has been sent to the Metropolitan Police, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and other UK forces.
Brown said, “I have submitted new information to ensure justice for trafficked girls and women.”
Andrew is accused of leaking confidential details to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy in 2011 and 2012.
Brown wrote in The New Statesman, “What I discovered about the abuse of women by male predators and their enablers – and Britain’s as yet unacknowledged role – has shocked me to the core. It demands an in-depth police investigation, and is by far the biggest scandal of all.
“I have been told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights. Additionally, I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry.
“The Stansted revelations alone require them to interview Andrew.”
