The arrest of Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, younger brother of King Charles III, set off shockwaves on both sides of the Atlantic, and many Americans noted the irony of a member of the royal family suffering consequences for his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The former prince was stripped of his royal titles in October and forced to vacate his home earlier this month in the wake of the widening Epstein scandal, and Thames Valley police took him into custody Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Mountbatten-Windsor has long denied wrongdoing in connection with his friendship with the late sex offender, but he shows up multiple times in files released by the U.S. Department of Justice, as does President Donald Trump – who was close friends with Epstein for years.
"Never in a million years did I ever fathom when I resurrected the Epstein story in 2018 that it would lead to first arrest of a British Royal in four centuries," said Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown. "Not since King Charles I was arrested in 1647."
"Look at my country man, we’re getting out-No Kings’d by the f------’ british," whooped The Onion's Ben Collins.
"Getting shown up in the arena of elite impunity by *the British monarchy* is an incredible 'America at 250!' achievement," posted science journalist Dave Levitan.
"So SCOTUS, with its fabricated-out-of-thin-air immunity doctrine, has actually made American presidents less accountable than LITERAL royalty," noted writer Julian Sanchez.
"It is notable that Andrew has been arrested for 'misconduct in public office,' which is precisely what the US Supreme Court decided no American president can ever be charged with," added The Economist's Matt Steinglass.
"John Roberts has somehow created a regal impunity, in a republic nonetheless influenced by British common law, stronger than that enjoyed by the British royals themselves. In-f------ credible," marveled Greg Greene, of Planned Parenthood Action.
"UK: Prince Andrew arrested, South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life, Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence, USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers," observed Yale Law School professor Scott Shapiro.
"Curious whether the Epstein billionaires and cronies will stop traveling outside the U.S. out of concern that in other countries they could be arrested," wondered Reuters correspondent Patricia Zengerle.
"Virginia Guiffre should still be alive and seeing the results of her rare courage and integrity," lamented writer Charlotte Clymer. "She spoke out against the horrific crimes of some of the most powerful and corrupt men in the world when there was no incentive to do so, and finally, the world is following her lead, much too late."