I think Andrew was being blackmailed by Epstein, hence sharing all those documents about his trade visits (allegedly). I think the problem started with Fergie after she and Andrew divorced. Apparently Epstein had been funding her since the year of her divorced. He seems to like getting vulnerable women under his wing. Maxwell's Father had just died when he took her under his wing. Fergie had just been chucked out of the Royal Family under scandal and divorce and apparently needed money. So he maybe seemed like a kind helpful friend. But then he kept bankrolling her. I suspect Andrew met Epstein through Fergie - she has already been caught offering access to Andrew for money once so she may well have done that previously with Epstein. Then there was some kind of honey trap maybe. Andrew is probably pretty thick and naive and came from a certain background where not only Royals were immune but probably hadn't even heard of sex trafficking. Also from an era (the 70s) were anyone slept with anyone and so what. So he may well have had no idea that a girl he was introduced to was a honey trap. Epstein apparently had videos on various people in compromising situations. I read a piece (can't rememer who from - Epstein's neighbour maybe) that said that's how he made all his money - blackmailing people.
So - I'm not condoning anything (and also bear in mind Andrew is innocent until proved guilty and trial by media isn't a court) but nothing so far has proved he has done anything illegal. Seedy yes, as mentioned before.
And then he and Fergie were caught up in Epstein's world financially. They had to keep giving favours because he was funding them. I think Andrew in particular wanted to help Fergie out when she got into millions of pounds worth of debt and got more in with Epstein the financier. They were both caught up with him. I also think Andrew, having a bit of a Royal ego (and maybe a chip on his shoulder for being a second son and without the huge income Charles had from the Duchy of Cornwall etc) was flattered or even groomed by Epstein into thinking he was some kind of businessman worth knowing. When he got the job as trade envoy or whatever, Epstein was still calling in the favours. If he did share things he shouldn't have he was either thick, foolish, blackmailed, believing he really was being an ace businessman dealing with a financier, or a bit of all four.
But Epstein had something on both of them so they couldn't stop. And Andrew had more to lose than most, being such a public figure and part of the monarchy.
Whether he eventually knew about the sex trafficking or not I have no idea - and nobody does unless it's proved. Maybe he was arrogant enough to think that a 27 year old Russian woman just wanted to sleep with him because he was a Prince and that Epstein just happened to know a lot of beautiful women (she was probably paid a lot of money for it like Ms Giuffre but who knows - but was significantly older). Even so it could still be sex trafficking.
So he's been arrested over the potential misconduct in a public office regarding documents. Which is apparently very hard to prove and that's if he was even classed as being in "public office" - he wasn't a politician. If it was just seen as bad judgement it's not a criminal offence. Maybe it depends what the documents are.
Epstein was an evil man - because he's dead he can't be villified in the media. So all the attention is on Andrew.
I may be lynched for this, but I actually think it has all gone to far and is indeed a witch hunt against someone who has the furthest to fall, can't help what he was born into and his upbringing, has had no real benefits from being Royal, married the wrong person and stayed loyal so he could see his children a lot perhaps. And just got himself into a very big mess (not helped by chip on shoulder and arrogance) and yes maybe he's also a sexist product of the 70s (there was a lot of sleeze in the 70s "Readers wives" and so on).
But I am personally quite horrified at the amount of hate and vitriol online about someone who has never been found guilty of anything. That might change if he ends up in court. When there were so many others involved in the Epstein scandal who are sitting there untouched.
Andrew has lost everything, his family, his home (given to him by his Mother), his dignity, he seems to be the most hated person in Britain, he is ridiculed and humiliated publicly in the papers daily. Isn't that punishment enough for someone who has never even been found guilty of someone.
He is alone having been shunted into a house owned by his brother the King. They apparently never did get on and Andrew was resented for being the favourite. And now his parents are gone he is dependent on the brother who doesn't particularly like him (was maybe even jealous) and who has thrown him under a bus to save the monarchy.
What does get my goat is all the people saying poor King. Poor King my xxxx - he was hardly a paragon of virtue - friend of Saville. And other members of the Royal Family who had girls smuggled into Buckingham Palace (Phillip I think it was, allegedly). It was the norm. The King is the only member of the Royal Family who can;t be arrested apparently. The law is under his name! If Andrew went to court the case would be Andrew Mountbatten Windsor versus the King. His own brother.
I don't think any of us (the multitude online) should be vigilante and drive a man to suicide with hatred and vitriol. He accepted giving up various things to put the monarchy first (some were forced on him as well). But now it has just become cruelty and unpleasant.
Let the law play out and see where it goes, but until then, he is innocent until proved guilty despite his lifestyle and awful association with Epstein.
Whether true or not, Fergie said she had written those emails after denouncing him because he had threatened to kill her children. That sounds plausible to me after everythibg else known about Epstein. So Andrew also could have been being blackmailed. He's a complete idiot yes. And he probably will end up in court over something.
But he has no privacy whatsoever - he's been thrown to the baying hounds by his own family. The whole monarchy needs to go - it ruins the lives of people born into it who won't become future monarch. And yes if he had stayed in the Navy (where he was a war hero and highly thought of) and married someone less flighty and extravagant, or born in a different era, his life may have been a lot better.
I think the whole thing now is verging on inhuman. The pages of comments on social media hoping he kills himself - because he looks so shocked and terrified on that photo as he left the police station. That is sick.
And yes I do think about the victims - Epstein's victims. Andrew is a complete scapegoat in all this compared to all the people getting away with things who aren't Royal.
Sorry for the rant - but - just get rid of the Monarchy! But then we'd have no scandals to gossip about would we?
I suspect it would be hard for them to be able to charge him for this offence but there is also a strong likelihood that he will be charged "because it's in the public interest". And that may lead to further investigations.
What the heck are the US doing about all this? Nothing it seems.
Never liked Charles.