ROYAL FAMILY NEWSEx-Prince Andrew Looked 'Broken' After His Arrest as Epstein Ties Continue to 'Damage' Royal Family, Says Queen Elizabeth's Former Press Secretary
Ex-Prince Andrew looked 'broken' after his arrest as Jeffrey Epstein ties continue to 'damage' royal family.
Feb. 25 2026, Published 4:17 p.m. ET
Ex-Prince Andrew — who was arrested on February 19 by Thames Valley Police at his new home on the Sandringham Estate — is seemingly on a downward spiral ever since his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein was exposed.
Andrew's arrest happened after he allegedly sent the financier confidential travel documents.
Ex-Prince Andrew's Scandals Are Hurting the Royal Family
Queen Elizabeth stripped away her favorite son's military titles in 2022.
Ailsa Anderson, who was the former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth, told People on February 25 how the ex-Duke of York's indiscretions are giving The Firm a bad name.
“That reverence people once had for the royal family is disappearing. This is the damage Andrew has done," she said, adding that Andrew, 66, "looked broken" and "haunted" during his infamous arrest.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Was Arrested on February 19
Ex-Prince Andrew was held in custody for 11 hours until he was released.
Andrew was held in custody for 11 hours. When he was heading back home, a photo of him looking scared made headlines.
The snapshot became so iconic that it was even framed and hung up in the Louvre in Paris for a mere 15 minutes by activists before being taken down.
Due to the ongoing investigation, Andrew has been told to not to take up his favorite pastime as a way to help him stay under the radar.
- Ex-Prince Andrew Is In a 'Fragile' and 'Isolated' State After Royal Exile: 'He's Lost Everything'
- Ex-Prince Andrew’s Arrest Is an 'Enormous Scandal' and 'Embarrassment' for Royal Family, Claims Historian
- 'Deluded' Ex-Prince Andrew Whined 'I'm the Queen’s Son' During Eviction From Royal Lodge Home, Source Reveals
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All of the Ex-Duke of York's Titles Have Been Yanked Away
Ex-Prince Andrew's scandals are hurting The Firm's reputation.
“Since his arrest last week he has been ordered not to go horseriding. It’s considered a bad look. They don’t think he should be seen grinning and smiling on his horse like he was in Windsor," a source told The Sun recently.
“But it was one of the few things he actually enjoyed doing so what on earth is he going to do with his time?" they wondered.
There have also been calls to remove Andrew from the order of succession as he is still eighth in line to the throne.
Th ex-royal can no longer go horseback riding publicly.
If this legislation were to go through, 14 Commonwealth nations would need to sign off before it is enacted.
Several months before the Queen passed away in September 2022, she first stripped away her favorite son's military titles and barred him from taking on any more public engagements.
His brother King Charles yanked away all of his royal titles and peerages and also evicted him from his longtime home, Royal Lodge, in October 2025.
Andrew is now living in a smaller shack, called Wood Farm, on the royal family's Norfolk estate.
