Crisis Expert on Queen Elizabeth's Jeffrey Epstein Knowledge

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade on June 9, 2018 in London, England — (Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

On February 19, 2026, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office; later that day, he was released after questioning. Interest in Andrew's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein grew after emails between the pair were released, raising questions about the royal's alleged impropriety. Since then, speculation has grown regarding the Royal Family's knowledge of the former Prince Andrew's activities, and whether they previously "looked the other way."

Crisis expert and CEO of Strategic Vision PR, David E. Johnson, spoke to Us Weekly about the affect Andrew's arrest will have on Queen Elizabeth II's legacy. "A lot of people will be saying, 'Why didn't she do more?'" he noted. "This has been going on for a long time. She looked the other way."

Royal commentator Omid Scobie concurred, telling the outlet, "[T]here was a lot more going on than we thought." He continued, "The British public have a lot of questions, and at some point, some of those questions need to be answered."

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor standing next to Queen Elizabeth, wearing a scarf tied around her head — "This has been going on for a long time. She looked the other way."

Meanwhile, Christopher Andersen, a royal author and expert, told the outlet, "The monarchy depends on the trust, goodwill, and affection of the British people. The Epstein case, and in particular Andrew's involvement in it, has really stretched that bond to the breaking point."

As for how Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are coping amid the developing scandal, sources told Us Weekly, "There's no real return to royal life...[They're] very much in survival mode."

Queen Elizabeth in a blue coat and hat leaning forward and talking to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the Epsom Derby — "The British public have a lot of questions."

Discussing what the Royal Family needs to do next, crisis expert Johnson explained, "I expect we'll see William and Kate really step up to the forefront and handle the crisis management."

Of course, how Andrew's involvement with Epstein will affect Queen Elizabeth's legacy remains to be seen.

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.