The former Prince Andrew. File photo: ReutersThe arrest of disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has highlighted one of the major risks of having a non-elected head of state, a constitutional law expert says. If New Zealand wanted to ditch the British Royal Family and become a republic, it would be a rather simple process, he said. Whether New Zealand wanted to become a republic in the wake of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest was not clear, Prof Geddis said. It was pretty obvious members of the Royal Family probably knew he was "getting up to trouble", but they likely did not ever know the true extent, he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 20, 2026 15:34 UTC