Prince Pervert

Are rumours of the death of the rule of law vastly exaggerated?

- Harish Khare

WE do live in interesting times. Just when much of the world was reconciling itself to the idea of bad demagogues having a free run of the global commons, there are indications that the future may not be all that bleak. Two developments, one from London and the other from Washington, prompt a dollop of optimism.

First, the good news from England—the arrest of an ex-royal, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. As has been noted, this is the first instance of its kind since 1647. It has also been pointed out that the “Prince” had already been stripped of his royal epaulettes by the current King on proven bad behaviour; but the arrest, though short-lived, was not without its historical moment. What is remarkable in this royal episode is that the police did discharge their institutional duty. No one will perhaps know whether any pressure from the royal family or other custodians of the monarchy was brought to bear on the police to go slow on the prince. “The police” invariably means one individual policeman or a group of policemen in various hierarchical roles felt unhampered as the investigation proceeded into the disgraced prince's potentially criminal conduct.

How could British police officers and investigators feel emboldened to pursue the cause of justice? How could so many of them instinctively feel the same sense of the requirements of law and justice? Could it be that modern-day Britain, despite having become a vastly different country, still retains its feel for justness?

And, how? Is it a cultural phenomenon? An undiluted Victorian virtue? From Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple to P. D. James’ Adam Dalgliesh, we get a glimpse of an uncompromised investigator/detective determined to see justice done and injustice avenged. Those who infringe the law or commit a crime must get their comeuppance.