Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.
As the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, the development has prompted questions about what happens next — including whether members of the Royal Family can be sent to prison.
Can Royal Family Members Go to Prison?
Despite perceptions that they may be above the law, members of the UK Royal Family can face imprisonment if convicted of a criminal offence. If they break the law, they are subject to the same legal consequences as any other citizen and do not enjoy blanket immunity.
The situation is different, however, for the reigning monarch, who is protected by sovereign immunity.
Sovereign immunity is a long-established legal principle under which the monarch cannot be prosecuted or sued in civil proceedings under UK law.
According to Newsweek, the Royal Family’s official website explains: “In the earliest times, the Sovereign was a key figure in the enforcement of law and the establishment of legal systems in different areas of the UK. As such, the Sovereign became known as the ‘Fount of Justice’.