Police action unfolded Thursday morning at Sandringham, resulting in the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following a lengthy investigation into his connections with Jeffrey Epstein. The arrest marks a significant escalation in scrutiny surrounding the former prince and his long-standing relationship with the convicted sex offender.
What began as unsettling rumors years ago has now led to a criminal indictment for misconduct in public office.
Read also: Former Prince Andrew Leaves Police Station After Questioning
If one believes that Andrew’s arrest provides a respite for Crown Princess Mette-Marit, that is a dangerous misunderstanding. Andrew’s downfall precisely illustrates what happens when one waits too long to be honest.
Tove Taalesen
- Royal expert for Nettavisen
- Has worked for Their Majesties The King and Queen for over ten years.
- Has published several books, including two crime novels and a book on etiquette.
- Board member of the Authors’ Federation
Lay the Cards on the Table
Three weeks have passed since extensive contact between Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Jeffrey Epstein was revealed. Suspicions regarding her involvement first surfaced seven years ago.
Mette-Marit has expressed regret and stated her desire to provide a more detailed explanation. Even as understanding the challenges of navigating a crisis, crises do not last forever, nor does patience.
Read also: Problematic for Mette-Marit to Use the ‘Mother Card’
How long must we wait, Mette-Marit? We await answers – and this time, all the cards must be laid on the table.
The Legacy Charles Didn’t Want
Andrew’s arrest at Sandringham is a dramatic and historic moment.
The problems, rumors and headlines surrounding the former prince have persisted for years. He spent years attempting to explain away, dismiss, and minimize his relationship with Epstein.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, Andrew’s problematic lifestyle was a legacy King Charles would have preferred to avoid. He implemented measures against his brother in an attempt to salvage the monarchy’s reputation. Official duties disappeared, honors and decorations were revoked, and the title of prince was removed. The story could have ended there.
However, new Epstein files were released, and further revelations came to light.
Read also: British Royal House Critic: – We Reported Andrew to the Police
Not Comparable
The news that our own Crown Princess was connected to Epstein came as a shock to Norwegians.
However, these cases cannot be compared.
We know what Andrew is accused of. He is under investigation for misconduct in public office, specifically related to his former role as the United Kingdom’s special trade envoy. Police are investigating whether he exploited this position to benefit Epstein.
Mette-Marit has not committed a crime. However, questions are being raised about her judgment. We are left with fragments of emails, text messages, and many questions. We perceive the relationship as intimate. We speculate. We know little.
What we lack is her full explanation.
Read also: Mette-Marit Gave Epstein Very Fine Advice
A Signal to Skaugum
Now that police are knocking on the door at Sandringham, it is a signal to Skaugum: Now it is no longer a question of if, but whether Mette-Marit will own her own story. For the truth always comes out in the end.
Emails and text messages now made public show that the relationship was far more extensive than previously understood.
Mette-Marit is the only one who knows what the relationship with Jeffrey Epstein actually consisted of. She knows where they met, what they talked about, why the contact continued, and when it actually ended.
We have many questions, and currently, no answers.
Regret is Not Accountability
Mette-Marit has said she exercised poor judgment. This is an acknowledgment that the relationship existed. She has expressed regret and shown support for the victims. I believe none of us doubt her compassion, but that is not enough.
Read also: Now We Must Rally Around Crown Princess Mette-Marit
She has not explained what she actually did, what she knew about Epstein at the time, and why the contact continued nonetheless.
This is where the problem lies: As long as there are documents that tell more than she does herself, the question of her role will continue to grow. Each time new information emerges, the distance between what she has said and what we gradually learn increases.
That distance was what ultimately brought down Andrew.
What is She Waiting For?
Is Mette-Marit waiting for more documents to be published? For the interest to subside? For a new crisis to capture the attention? For other royals to overshadow the scandal?
It must be taken into consideration that the Crown Princess is chronically ill, and that the ongoing strain in the Marius case is undoubtedly taking a toll on her strength. It is naturally extremely difficult right now, something I fully understand.
At the same time, the clock is ticking. She does not have an unlimited amount of time to own her own narrative before it is defined by others.
Waiting is not merely passive. It is also a choice.
Andrew Waited – Mette-Marit Shouldn’t
In these types of cases, silence is never neutral. It eventually has consequences.
The relationship with Epstein does not disappear. It remains, in emails, in messages, in timelines that create more questions than answers. A future queen cannot live with a permanent space of doubt. The monarchy does not survive on good intentions. It survives on credibility.
She has said she will explain more.
Andrew waited for the truth. Time did not develop his case smaller. Quite the opposite. It made it much bigger.
The question is not whether Mette-Marit should speak. The question is how long she thinks she can refrain from doing so.
