Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is to be depicted in a new drama recreating scenes from his fall from public life, The Mail on Sunday can reveal, with his lawyers offered the chance to give his side of the story before the script is finalised, an offer he has declined to take up.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set to feature in a forthcoming film reconstructing episodes from his downfall, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The drama, titled The Janitor, stars Peaky Blinders actor Harry Kirton as a publicist who cleans up scandals for the elite, and includes a scene dubbed “The Table of Filth” recreating events from the former prince’s fall from public life. Producers have yet to confirm who will play Mountbatten-Windsor, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the various controversies depicted.
Background to his downfall
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles last year following his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was subsequently arrested on 19 February this year, his 66th birthday, and remains under investigation. He was released under investigation following police questioning, rather than being charged, with Thames Valley Police confirming the investigation remains ongoing.
The arrest relates specifically to allegations of misconduct in public office during his time as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment, a role he held from 2001 until 2011. Investigators are examining allegations that he shared confidential or sensitive government material with Jeffrey Epstein, including information connected to official overseas visits.
Following his arrest, police searched two properties linked to Mountbatten-Windsor: his current home at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, and his former residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Searches at the Norfolk property were subsequently completed, while those at Royal Lodge continued after his release.
How the case has been handled
Police sources have indicated that detectives believed arrest was necessary to progress the investigation, rather than simply inviting Mountbatten-Windsor to a voluntary interview under caution. The Home Office was reportedly given just 30 minutes’ notice before the arrest took place, which police said was part of routine operational procedure; the King himself was not given advance notice.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that its lawyers had spoken with detectives investigating the case, but had not yet provided formal early investigative advice at that stage. Several broadcasters and commentators have described the arrest as the first of a senior British royal in modern history, underlining the unprecedented nature of the investigation.
King Charles responded publicly to his brother’s arrest, saying he had learned of the development with “the deepest concern” and insisting that “the law must take its course.” The King added that police had the Royal Family’s “full and wholehearted support and cooperation.”
Others have also weighed in publicly. Virginia Giuffre’s family issued a statement following the arrest, saying it demonstrated that “no one is above the law” and thanking Thames Valley Police for their investigation. Former prime minister Gordon Brown separately submitted a five-page memorandum to several UK police forces, containing what he described as new and additional information relating to efforts to secure justice for women and girls allegedly trafficked by Epstein. US President Donald Trump also commented publicly on the arrest, describing it as “a very sad thing.”
What the film depicts
According to the Mail on Sunday, one scene in The Janitor shows a reporter handing the former prince the infamous photograph of himself with Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with him when she was 17, an allegation Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied. He has also denied ever meeting her. Giuffre died by suicide last year, aged 41.
The film will also portray Mountbatten-Windsor’s former girlfriend, Lady Victoria Hervey, 49, though it is not yet known who will play her. The film’s final scene reportedly shows staff examining a photograph of him kneeling over a woman, an image that was included among the Epstein files released in January.
Production details
Lawyers acting for Mountbatten-Windsor were offered the opportunity to provide his side of the story before the script was finalised, but he has declined to engage with the production, which could be released before Christmas. Buckingham Palace was also approached twice by producers and did not respond.
A production source said the film’s legal team has “bulletproofed every single frame” and is prepared for a backlash, adding that the drama drags “into the daylight some of the most toxic cover-ups in modern British history.” Executive producer Dr Shamsa Akhtar has said a US television adaptation may also be in development.
Disgraced former newsreader Huw Edwards, 65, was previously revealed to have been approached by production firm Big Bear Little Bear to play himself in the drama, an offer he rejected.
Legal sensitivity
Given that the criminal investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor remains ongoing, the production’s depiction of him could become legally more sensitive as it develops, since any future prosecution could place restrictions on material published or broadcast that risks prejudicing court proceedings.
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