Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is reportedly fighting back in a surprising turn of events, and is said to feel a sense of accomplishment despite the allegations against him.
The disgraced former prince has been stripped of all his titles and honours by King Charles. The decision followed the release of the Epstein files, which exposed some of the most astonishing details of how deep the ties between Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein had been.
The former Duke of York has now launched legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest in February. He claims investigators took personal items that have no connection to the criminal investigation.
It remains unclear what Andrew hopes to gain from the move, particularly in the court of public opinion. Public sentiment towards him has not softened.
Hollywood star Robert De Niro has now weighed in on the latest developments. He said the King’s brother should “take accountability” over his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking at an event in New York, De Niro told The Sun that Andrew should publicly apologise.
“Of course, everybody who was involved should. He should drop his lawsuit.”
The actor also criticised the US Department of Justice for failing to release more unredacted Epstein files, calling the decision “evil”.
The Godfather actor has no direct connection to the former royal. He has, however, previously spoken out in support of Epstein’s survivors.
De Niro’s comments add to the pressure on Andrew, whose decision to take legal action has done little to change the way he is viewed. The lawsuit centres on the February arrest and on the items police are alleged to have taken, which Andrew says are unrelated to the investigation.
Andrew is due to appear in court on Thursday.