Rafe Heydel-Mankoo, a royal historian, says the arrest of the former prince is a historic moment.
“This is completely unprecedented in modern history. In fact, the last time a senior royal or any royal was taken into custody was in 1647, when King Charles I lost the English Civil War and was seized by Parliament … that’s how historic it is,” he told CBC News Network.
King Charles I was tried for treason in 1649 toward the end of the English Civil War, found guilty and beheaded.
Andrew’s elder sister Princess Anne was fined for speeding in 2001, and the following year became the first royal to be convicted of a criminal offence in 350 years when she appeared in court to plead guilty to failing to stop one of her dogs, Dotty, from biting two children.
“They were never arrested, they were taken into police custody. This is an absolutely remarkable moment in constitutional and British royal history.”