Photo of Andrew leaving custody was ‘icing on the cake’ for royals’ worst day

The dramatic picture of a shellshocked Andrew being driven out of a police station was just ‘the icing on the cake’ for one of the worst days in modern royal history, an expert has claimed.

The former prince was arrested at his Sandringham home yesterday on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

He is the first senior royal to be taken into custody in modern times, and has been described as a ‘seismic’ escalation in UK’s police investigation into paedophile financier Epstein.

Follow Metro’s blog for live updates from Andrew’s arrest

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told Metro: ‘It has come as a seismic shock, but perhaps not too much of a surprise considering the extent of what was revealed in the Epstein files.’

Just a day before his arrest, Keir Starmer also made his tough stance clear, saying ‘nobody is above the law’ when asked if Andrew should speak to police.

After spending all day in custody, Andrew was pictured ‘dazed and shell-shocked’ in the back of a car as he left Aylsham police station in Norfolk.

The image not only went viral, but was plastered on newspaper front pages across the world ‘only adding to King Charles’s nightmare day’.

Mr Larcombe said: ‘That picture is just the icing on the cake for a terrible day for the royal family.

‘The royals are rabbits in headlights. They like being in control of the narrative, not reacting to it. And this image just highlights their loss of control

‘Andrew couldn’t look in a worse frame of mind, and this image is all over the world.

‘It is a far cry from the arrogant, pompous prince we saw trying to draw a line under his ties to Epstein in that disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis.

‘He is now completely at the mercy of what the police decide to do – just like everybody else.’

Buckingham Palace reportedly were not given any prior warning the former Duke of York was going to be arrested – the first senior royal to be detained in modern times.

King Charles said in a tough statement that ‘the law must take its course’.

He said: ‘I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.

‘What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.

‘Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.

‘As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.’

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