Stephen Colbert Celebrates Prince Andrew’s Arrest, Jokes About Trump & Epstein Files
Stephen Colbert marked the arrest of Prince Andrew, formerly known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, on Thursday with a celebratory opening to his show, The Late Show, noting that “finally someone, anyone” was being held accountable. “Let’s hear it for British justice,” Colbert said to applause, adding that it was “better than American justice because it comes with frilly wigs.”
The arrest, carried out by Thames Valley Police, centers on allegations of misconduct in public office, stemming from recently released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities are investigating whether Andrew misused his position for personal gain, specifically in connection to trade reports allegedly sent to Epstein in 2010. This is distinct from ongoing allegations of sexual misconduct, though the Epstein connection remains central to the scrutiny surrounding the former prince.
Colbert contrasted the situation with the United States, quipping that the charges—”seriously willful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held”—were “not only not illegal in the United States, it was Trump’s campaign slogan.” He then referenced Donald Trump’s past fundraising efforts, describing the inaugural meeting of his “Board of Peace” as akin to a UN meeting where “instead of passing binding resolutions, you pass a greasy bag of money to Donald Trump.” Colbert estimated a seat on the board cost $1 billion in cash, adding, “So the board works kind of like a strip club. Cash only and Donald Trump will never leave.”
The monologue also touched on former President Barack Obama’s recent comments regarding the existence of aliens. Trump’s response – “I don’t know if they’re real or not” – prompted Colbert to display a photograph of Trump with Epstein, remarking, “While Trump never talks about meeting aliens, we do know he’s had close encounters with predators.”
Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal titles by King Charles III in October 2022 following mounting public pressure related to his association with Epstein. Earlier this month, King Charles forced his brother to vacate Royal Lodge, his longtime residence near Windsor Castle. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The recent arrest follows the release of over three million pages of documents by a U.S. Department of Justice court order, detailing connections between Epstein and numerous high-profile individuals. The files include a photograph of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, who alleged she was forced to have sex with him as a teenager. Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in 2022, which was settled out of court. She died by suicide in April 2023.
Giuffre’s siblings released a statement following Andrew’s arrest, stating, “At last, today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.” They continued, “On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the U.K.’s Thames Valley Police for their investigation, and the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
While the United Kingdom and other nations are actively investigating connections to the Epstein scandal, the United States has seen comparatively limited repercussions. The Justice Department’s latest release of Epstein files has triggered investigations by foreign governments, businesses, and institutions, leading to the resignation of influential figures. Trump, whose name reportedly appears in the files over a million times, and others linked to his administration have largely avoided similar scrutiny.