U.K. Lawmakers Call for Independent Inquiry Into Royals as Police Search Mansion After Andrew’s Arrest
In the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, some U.K. lawmakers are leading calls for an independent inquiry into the royal family.
“There must be an independent inquiry into what the royal family knew about his Epstein links,” said Richard Burgon, a member of the ruling Labour Party.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Burgon went a step further, suggesting it’s “time for a serious national debate about abolishing the monarchy.” He argued that even if people disagree, there should at least be a discussion over “the role of hereditary privilege in our democracy.”
The lawmaker’s comments came shortly after Thames Valley Police revealed that Andrew had been “released under investigation” Thursday evening. The younger brother of King Charles III was photographed returning to the royal estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, after leaving police custody.
While the specifics of the allegations that led to Andrew’s arrest have not yet been disclosed, Thames Valley Police previously confirmed to TIME on Feb. 9 that they were “assessing the information” regarding allegations that Andrew—while serving as the U.K. trade envoy—shared confidential government reports with Jeffrey Epstein, detailing trips to Singapore, China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011.
The allegations stemmed from documents released in the U.S. Justice Department’s final drop of Epstein files on Jan. 30. Andrew, who features in the documents, is facing renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein and his own conduct. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Speaking to TIME earlier this month, after the release of the files but prior to Andrew’s arrest, Burgon described the allegations against Andrew as “incredibly serious” and said “the people who have committed crimes of the nature alleged, obviously need to face the full force of the law, whoever they are… no one should be allowed to evade proper justice.”
Burgon is not the only U.K. lawmaker calling for an inquiry.
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said Friday morning that there are “lots of questions to be asked.”
“We really need a full statutory inquiry into public figures from institutions,” he told reporters.
Polanski also raised the issue of potentially abolishing the monarchy, something which he has previously voiced support for.
“The monarchy are doing a pretty good job in themselves of not having their proudest moments over various issues we’ve seen in the last couple of years and, when the public are ready to have that national conversation about the monarchy, I think issues like this certainly don’t help the monarchy’s case,” he said.
Former Labour lawmaker Zarah Sultana, who is now a member of Your Party, also questioned the future of the royal family in her response to news of Andrew’s arrest, simply stating: “Abolish the monarchy.”
Many U.K. Members of Parliament (MPs) have long been eager to discuss the Andrew controversy in a more public forum.
In October, Rachael Maskell of the Labour Party attempted to initiate a parliamentary debate over Andrew and his association with Epstein. She introduced a bill that would strip him of the remainder of his titles.
Despite support from a number of lawmakers, including Burgon and Sultana, the government rejected the calls for a debate. When asked about the matter, a Downing Street spokesperson reportedly told the BBC: “We know that the royal family would not want to take time from other important issues.”
Andrew was officially removed of his remaining titles weeks later.
Hours before Andrew’s arrest, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was asked if a debate over the royal, and his connections to Epstein, could still take place.
“I think there is a debate going on in and around parliament. There will be no prohibition of that, as far as I’m concerned… Certainly, it concerns parliamentarians and I wouldn’t stand in the way of it. I think it’s important we discuss all of these cases,” he told the BBC.
King Charles, meanwhile, has repeated his assurances that he will support the authorities as they investigate Andrew.
Expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest on Thursday, His Majesty said: “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.”
“The law must take its course,” he added, in a statement Buckingham Palace shared with time.
Thames Valley Police continued its investigations into Andrew on Friday by searching his former mansion in Windsor, Berkshire. The police force, which is being supported by Norfolk Police, completed its searches on Andrew’s Norfolk address yesterday.
Andrew’s communications with Epstein appear to be at the focus of the legal investigation.
The most recent drop of Epstein files uncovered an email originally sent to someone titled “The Duke,” which was then forwarded to Epstein. It reads: “Please find attached the visit reports for Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shenzhen in relation to your recent visit to South East Asia.”
Another email from “The Duke” to Epstein included mention of a “confidential brief” and appeared to detail an investment opportunity in Afghanistan.
Prior to being stripped of his royal titles last year, Andrew was known as the Duke of York.
The documents released by the DOJ also included a photograph of Andrew leaning over a woman on the floor. The woman’s face had been redacted and it’s unclear when or where the photograph was taken.
The image appeared on a screen behind U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testified before the House Judiciary Committee over the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files on Feb. 11.
Separately, police are also reviewing a fresh allegation that Epstein sent a woman to Andrew at the Royal Lodge residence in Windsor in 2010.
“We are aware of reports about a woman said to have been taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes,” a Thames Valley Police spokesperson told TIME on Feb. 4. “We are assessing the information in line with our established procedures.”
Previous allegations against Andrew
Andrew’s relationship with Epstein—and the fact he continued communicating with the disgraced financier after his initial conviction—has long been scrutinized.
Epstein was initially sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in 2008 after pleading guilty to state charges—one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. He was in custody once more awaiting trial on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors when he died in a New York jail cell in 2019.
Andrew was famously interviewed on BBC’s Newsnight in 2019 and questioned over why he visited Epstein in New York in 2010.
The royal was accused of sexual abuse himself by one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, the late Virginia Giuffre. He strongly denied the allegations and, during his Newsnight interview, said he had no recollection of ever meeting her.
In January 2022, Andrew was stripped of his key military titles and royal patronages in the midst of a civil sexual abuse case brought forward by Giuffre. A month later, he settled the lawsuit with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount.
Andrew was stripped of the remainder of his titles in late 2025, after additional allegations by Giuffre (who died in April 2025) came to light in her posthumous memoir.