By Tony Lopez
You are the brother of the king of one of the world’s greatest imperial powers. Your royal house has produced four kings and one queen in 109 years. Current King Charles is head of state of fifteen sovereign states—the United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu; three crown dependencies, 14 overseas territories, two associated states of New Zealand, and one territory.
Also, you are the favorite son of the world’s greatest modern queen who was also the longest-serving queen of your country. The Queen, had even lent you millions to pay a minor you had sex with, to avoid a sex scandal. The girl later committed suicide. You yourself are eighth in line to the throne.
Can you be arrested for misbehavior, real and imagined?
Answer: Yes.
On Thursday morning, Feb. 19, 2026, the British police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, and took him into custody for several hours over his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on “suspicion of misconduct in public office”. Andrew turned 66 the day of his arrest. His estate in Norfolk was also searched. “The Thames Valley Police have opened an investigation into an offence of misconduct in public office,” said the Thames Valley Police.
“The detention and questioning of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, once seen as a dashing war hero and the favorite son of Queen Elizabeth II, was a staggering blow for the monarchy. It was the first time in modern history that a member of the British royal family had been arrested. The last time was in 1649, when Charles I was executed for treason during the English Civil War,” reported the New York Times. “The case has the potential to shake confidence in a central pillar of the British establishment.”
On Feb. 9, 2026, a British anti-monarchy group filed a report with the Thames Valley Police in England about possible criminal activity by the former prince, a day after the BBC reported that Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared confidential information with Epstein while working as a British trade envoy.
Andrew is the third child and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He served 22 years in the Royal Navy, flew combat helicopters in the 1982 Falklands War.
He spent a decade, 2001-2011, as a UK trade envoy during which he developed his long-term friendship with Epstein, jailed in 2008 for child sex offences.
Last January, the US Department of Justice released more than three million Epstein documents. They included emails from Andrew to Epstein and material suggesting he shared official reports from a 2010 Southeast Asia trade trip with the sex offender.
Andrew’s brother, King Charles, was not informed by the police in advance of the arrest. The King was watching a fashion show at the time of the arrest. To be sure, King Charles has taken what The Guardian calls “every gradual step” to punish his boorish brother– “the removal of public duties, military ranks, aristocratic and royal titles and the eviction from Royal Lodge”, which “has come too little too late, where earlier it might have staunched the coming flood.”
Amid the arrest, the King issued this statement:
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. 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.
“Let me state clearly: The law must take its course.
“As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.
— Charles R.”
Remarkable: “They (the police) have our full and wholehearted support and cooperation…The law must take its course….My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
In democracies, there is a word to describe Charles’ attitude. Accountability.
In the past ten years, the United Kingdom has had five prime ministers. An average of one prime minister every two years. Why? Accountability. You don’t perform as PM, you are out, pronto. The people simply elect a new one.
In the Philippines, in 66 years, the presidents would come from just FIVE families—1) the two Marcoses, Ferdinand Sr. and Ferdinand Jr., and their cousin, FVR; 2) two Macapagals—Diosdado and daughter Gloria; 3) two Aquinos—Cory and son Benigno III; 4) one Estrada, Joseph, the actor; and 5) one Duterte, Rodrigo, the killer.
The Marcos-Ramos dynasty would serve for 32 years; the Macapagal Dynasty for 13 years; the Aquino Dynasty for 12 years and four months; Estrada for 30 months; and Duterte for six years.
Five families produced the nine most recent Philippine presidents. And what did more than 116 million Filipinos get for it?
In 1966, when the first Marcos was elected, the Philippines was the second most prosperous country in Asia.
Filipinos were already middle class and were the No. 1 tourists of Japan, Hongkong, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Today, where are we?
The day before Andrew’s arrest for “misbehavior”, our Vice President Sara Duterte announced her candidacy for president in the 2028 presidential elections. The same week, the International Criminal Court in The Netherlands began steps for the full trial of Rodrigo Duterte—for crimes against humanity. He is alleged to have killed between 6,000 and 30,000 victims—as Davao mayor and as president.
In December 2024, Sara was accused of graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. The House has damning evidence, not mere suspicion.
Sara is confident of being president. She is the frontrunner. For now.
In the meantime, where is accountability? Where are we going?