RESIDENTS near Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Sandringham Estate have said the former prince’s arrest is “stomach-churning,” adding that he should “answer for whatever he’s done”.
The disgraced former prince was arrested under suspicion of misconduct in public office on Thursday as officers from Thames Valley Police combed Andrew’s Norfolk residence.
Andrew was pictured slouched in the back of a vehicle on Thursday evening as he left Aylsham police station after he had been in custody for around 11 hours.
The royal had been under renewed scrutiny since the publication of the “Epstein files” in the US suggested he had leaked sensitive government documents to his paedophile financier friend, Jeffrey Epstein, while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
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People walking in the Royal Parkland at Sandringham have said news of Andrew, who became the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, was “stomach-churning”.
A dog walker, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the Press Association on Friday morning she expected members of the royal family to “be honourable”.
“I think the more you have that the ordinary people don’t get, the more money or privilege, the more you’ve got to have wisdom,” they said.
“There’s an onus and a duty, and you expect them to honour them, to be honourable, and so when you hear things like that about a member of the royal family, it’s stomach-churning.”
Another resident of Dersingham, a man who preferred to remain anonymous, said the arrest of Andrew was “unfortunate” but added: “I’d say there’s no smoke without fire.”
“They’re certainly hounding him, alright. Obviously, there’s something to look at.”
Asked about the mood in the village on Friday morning, he replied: “It’s very difficult to judge, everybody’s got a different view.
“Only time will tell.
“I think it’s unfortunate. His brother the King is very diplomatic.
“It’s what you would expect from him. He’s always very meticulous and careful what he says,” the resident added.
A man who lives near Royal Lodge in Windsor and gave his name as Rob, said the royal family should have acted on the accusations against Andrew sooner.
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“They left it far too long. He’s paid the price. The British law is going to sort it out,” he said.
“He’s not been proven guilty of anything at the moment and, until that happens, life will just carry on as it is.
“I just feel sorry that the problem was… Andrew with Epstein, and Fergie going across as well… and all they were thinking about was finance.”
A dog walker who lives near Royal Lodge, who wished to be known only as Ben, said: “I wasn’t surprised at all (to hear of Andrew’s arrest).
“I think the mood of the nation is behind the fact that he should answer for whatever he’s done.
“No one knows what (the royal family) knew or what they didn’t know, but I think they’ve done everything they can to distance themselves.
“They’ve kicked him out, basically, haven’t they? And that’s it.”
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Asked what it has been like to have the former prince as a neighbour in Windsor, Ben replied: “He’s not popular. But he’s not popular anywhere, is he?”
The King said on Thursday that “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest.
Thames Valley Police said he was released under investigation and searches at a property in Norfolk, Andrew’s home on the Sandringham Estate, had concluded.
Searches at his former address, the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire, are continuing.
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