In brief
- Victims of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have welcomed former prince Andrew's arrest.
- King Charles said authorities had the "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" of the royal family.
This article contains references to child abuse and suicide.
The unprecedented arrest of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of a misconduct investigation has triggered widespread reaction, with the brother of Virginia Giuffre saying he hopes it signals the collapse of a "house of cards".
King Charles — Mountbatten-Windsor's older brother — said authorities had the "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" of the royal family.
Political leaders, both domestic and international, have also been quick to react, including United States President Donald Trump, who said it was a sad day for the royal family.
Giuffre, who took her own life last year in Western Australia, alleged she was forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor at 17 after being trafficked by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The former prince was arrested in the UK on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police confirmed he hasn't been charged. He hasn't yet commented publicly on the latest misconduct allegations, but has always denied Giuffre's allegations.
He previously said he never witnessed or suspected any of the serious claims linked to Epstein, but regretted his friendship with Epstein, the fallout from which saw him stripped of his royal titles last year. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing child sex trafficking charges.
In an interview with Reuters news agency, Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts welcomed news of Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest and also called on US authorities to take action against Epstein's alleged co-conspirators.
"This is where the house of cards starts falling," Roberts said in a joint interview with his wife, Amanda Roberts.
Amanda Roberts said Andrew's arrest had prompted a "mixed bag of emotions".
"Initially, we were ... vindicated and screaming, at one point at 3am, and then it just hits you — that gut punch of the fact that she's not here to see this, that we're not able to call her and tell her how astronomically proud we are of her," she said.
Another of Epstein's victims, Maria Farmer, who is believed to have been the first to report Epstein and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell to the police, also welcomed the news.
"Today is just the beginning of accountability and justice brought forth by Virginia Roberts Giuffre — a young mother who adored her daughter so deeply, she fought the most powerful on earth to protect her," she said.
"She did this for everyone’s daughters. Let's now demand all the dominos of power and corruption begin to fall."
'Law must take its course', King Charles says
King Charles released a statement following his brother's arrest, saying he learned of it "with the deepest concern" and that "the law must take its course".
"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."
Trump said the former prince's arrest was a sad day for the royals.
"I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family," he said.
"It's a very sad thing to see it and to see what's going on with [King Charles'] brother, who's obviously coming to our country very soon, and he's a fantastic man, the king."
Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest has also sparked domestic political reaction, with Health Minister Mark Butler the first from the federal government to react to the news.
"What a fall from grace," he told Seven's Sunrise program on Friday morning.
"A man we knew for decades as Prince Andrew, His Royal Highness, is now just a man in his 60s from Norfolk."
Deputy Opposition leader Jane Hume made similar comments, saying the arrest showed "nobody was above the law".
"The misconduct in public office is a very serious allegation. We should let the full course of the law take its place, but it's also a reminder that nobody is above the law," she said.
— With additional reporting by Reuters news agency,
Readers seeking crisis support can ring Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). More information and support with mental health is available at beyondblue.org.au and on 1300 22 4636.
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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