EXCLUSIVE: Royal Fans Are Revolting! How Millions of Brits Want The Entire Firm Dismantled Amid Andrew Windsor Arrest Disgrace
Andrew Windsor's arrest could have a lasting impact on the royal family.
Feb. 20 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Andrew Windsor's arrest has triggered a sharp slump in public support for the monarchy – with new polling showing millions of Britons questioning whether the institution should survive at all, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Andrew was arrested on February 19 – his 66th birthday – on suspicion of misconduct in public office following coordinated police searches at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk and at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
Andrew Windsor spent nearly 12 hours under questioning at a Norfolk police station.
He was questioned for nearly 12 hours before being released under investigation. The allegations against the fallen royal relate to claims that, while serving as the U.K.'s special trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, he shared sensitive information with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing.
The Monarchy to Be Abolished?
An Ipsos poll revealed that only 37 percent of Britons feared the abolition of the monarchy.
The fallout from the scandal is now reflected in stark new figures from Ipsos.
Just 37 percent of Britons say it would be worse for the country in the future if the monarchy were abolished – down from 47 percent in November 2025. A quarter of respondents believe Britain would be better off if the Royal Family were dismantled altogether. Every senior royal has seen a decline in favorability since November.
Andrew's personal approval rating stands at just 5 percent. His brother King Charles, 77, has a 48 percent favorable rating, while only 47 percent of respondents view the Royal Family as a whole positively. Just 46 percent think Charles is doing a good job as monarch – down from 54 percent in November.
And only 28 percent believe the Royal Family has handled the Andrew situation well, compared with 37 percent three months ago.
Andrew Windsor Has 'Damaged the Royal Family'
The monarch pledged his full cooperation with the criminal investigation.
Keiran Pedley, politics director at Ipsos UK, said: "These findings suggest that the latest Andrew revelations have damaged the Royal Family in the court of public opinion."
He added: "The public is less likely to think the royals are handling the issue well and less likely to think it would be a bad thing if the institution was abolished. However, it is unclear how lasting any damage will be."
Pedley also pointed to generational divides and said, "apparent skepticism towards the institution among Gen Z Britons is something to watch." Polling indicates barely half of Britons believe there will still be a monarchy in 50 years.
A constitutional historian said the numbers are "extraordinary."
"For decades, support for the monarchy has been resilient even in moments of crisis," they added. "What is striking here is the breadth of the downturn – every measure is down." Andrew's arrest appears to have crystallized deeper doubts about accountability and transparency."
King Charles Issues Rare Statement
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King Charles issued a rare personal statement referring to his brother as 'Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.'
Charles responded to his brother's arrest with a rare personal statement, referring to him tersely as "Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor" and insisting: "Let me state clearly: the law must take its course."
The monarch, 77, also pledged his "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" with the investigation into his scandal-dogged sibling.
Andrew's arrest marks the most serious criminal inquiry involving a senior royal in modern times. A former palace aide said, "The optics of this are dreadful. Even if Andrew is never charged, the perception is that the institution is once again entangled in scandal." Public patience is not infinite, particularly among the youth."
Andrew remains under investigation as the monarchy faces its most testing time in modern history. Andrew was photographed being driven home after his marathon police grilling on Thursday night, looking shell-shocked and pale as he sat slumped in the back of a car with a driver and security guard in the front seats.
