SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles, spent his 66th birthday in a police station this week. He was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files that he'd shared confidential trade information with the convicted sex offender. The former prince was released after 11 hours. He has denied any wrongdoing. Jennie Bond has covered the royal family for decades and spent 14 years as the BBC's royal correspondent and joins us now from London. Jennie, thanks so much for being with us.
JENNIE BOND: My pleasure.
SIMON: Just how damaging is this scandal?
BOND: Well, it's a huge story over here. The papers have been dominated by it for days, even weeks. And this weekend, it is page after page after page of analysis of what this means for the monarchy, just how damaging is it? Clearly, it is tarnishing the reputation of the monarchy, but the palace are very keen to separate monarchy from family. It's a difficult separation. But I think the view - the predominant view - is that Charles has acted pretty decisively, maybe a bit too late, but pretty decisively in this. And the big news today, the main line, is whether or not Andrew is now going to be removed from the line of succession because, incredibly, he is still eighth in line of succession.
SIMON: Of course, King Charles said in a statement, the law must take its course and has not intervened. But what about the argument that they've been aware of serious allegations against Andrew for years and have effectively protected him?
BOND: Yes. This is the other big debate that's going on. And I think now we are at a stage where we are demanding more transparency, more accountability. I think people do want to know exactly that. What did the royal family know about Andrew's going-ons (ph)? Well, with Epstein, as regards to the sex abuse allegations but also now why he was arrested was because of alleged misconduct in public office when he was trade envoy. So we've got two strands going on here, at least two. And we've now got more than 11, I think it is, police forces in this country circling Andrew, investigating different strands. And there is this overriding feeling that the palace have got to give up this whole idea of never complain, never explain, abandon the old myth, which goes back to the 1800s, of the you must not let daylight into the magic of monarchy. It's all nonsense now.
SIMON: There is some feeling, as I probably don't have to tell you, in the United States that, well, there's some admiration for the British legal system.
BOND: Yeah. I understand that, but conversely, I've been reading reports this morning saying that if the Americans hadn't decided to release the Epstein files, then we wouldn't be where we are now. And so, I suppose, for that, we should be grateful. But, yes, I think that legitimately, you could ask now whether the American authorities should go further with the people, not least President Trump, who has been at least mentioned many times in the Epstein files. He says he's been exonerated, I know, and perhaps he has been. But I think the king has acted very decisively here.
I mean, we were gobsmacked, veteran correspondents like myself, who've lived through decades of scandals and crisis from the deaths and divorces, the Fergie being found topless, having her toe sucked in the south of France, the castle catching fire, rows about whether the queen should pay taxes, all of that has been dreadful. Of course, the death of Diana as well. But I think we have been impressed by the way the king has taken this straight on and saying very clearly, in a sentence that stood out on its own, let me state clearly, the law must take its course.
SIMON: Does he have to say that to preserve the monarchy?
BOND: Well, I think he does, yes. But I think he also feels it. I mean, there must be absolute despair in the palace. Well, I'm sure - I know there is. I think Charles has only been on the throne for a very few years, and he's been assailed by crisis after crisis - Harry and Meghan, his own cancer diagnosis. He's still under treatment for cancer. And now this.
SIMON: Do we know the focus of the police investigation now?
BOND: Well, I say, it's many-stranded at the moment. There's one police force looking into the allegations of misconduct in public office when he was a trade envoy. And they are still, even today, searching Andrew's former property, Royal Lodge in Windsor. That's a big, big mansion. It's got 30 rooms at least. So there's a lot to go through there. There's another police force which is looking into the former protection officers who accompanied Andrew around the world, who must have been with him when he went to Epstein's Island, who must have been with him when he was at Epstein's mansion, who may have seen things. And there've been suggestions that they possibly willfully turned a blind eye to things they may have seen. So there's one police force suggesting that their former colleagues should come forward and say what they know. There are many strands to this investigation.
SIMON: Jennie Bond, former BBC royal correspondent. Thanks so much for being with us. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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