Friday Bite 27 February 2026

Shame

 “Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore. We’re not used to winning in our country until you came along, we’re just always losing. But now we’re winning too much. And I say, no, no, no, you’re going to win again. You’re going to win big. You’re going to win bigger than ever” Donald Trump, State of the Union address, 24 February

The president continues to cede economic power and technological strength to China, bow down to a Russian dictator, and make plans for war with Iran… Through [the Department of Government Efficiency’s] mass firings, and the appointment of deeply unserious people to our nation’s most serious positions, our President has endangered the long and storied history of the United States of America being a force for good.” Abigail Spanberger, governor of Virginia, response to State of the Union address. 24 February

Who is benefitting from his [President Trump’s] rhetoric, his policies, his actions, and the short list of laws he’s pushed through this Republican Congress? He’s enriching himself, his family, his friends… The scale of the corruption is unprecedented. There’s the cover-up of the Epstein files, the crypto scams, cozying up to foreign princes for airplanes and billionaires for ballrooms, putting his name and face on buildings all over our nation’s capital. This is not what our founders envisioned. So, I’ll ask again: Is the President working for you?”

“We all know the answer is no.” Abigail Spanberger, 24 February

I’M GOING TO start with the Mars-Uranus event of the moment (Mars squared Uranus at 16:24 UTC today): the shock result of the by-election in the Gorton and Denton district of Manchester. The Green Party stomped home with 40% of the vote taking former plumber Hannah Spencer to the Houses of Parliament, in so doing joining five other members of her party. In this volatile astrological climate, to say this is a seismic moment may be a cliché but in terms of British politics it is an earth-shattering moment. The two-party system which has been in place since World War II has been effectively upturned. The Labour Party, currently in power, is in crisis, although with no one in a position to challenge Sir Keir for the leadership, the prime minister continues to fight another day. This was also a disappointing result for the Reform party, although reassuring for a large swathe of the country, which came an unimpressive second.

A matter of hours beforehand, Pakistan declared “open war” on Afghanistan, its air force bombing cities across the country due to allegations that Afghanistan is harbouring militants.

Seven thousand miles away in Chappaqua, New York, former First Lady Hillary Clinton was facing questions by a House Oversight Committee about her connection with Jeffrey Epstein. Ms Clinton stated that there was no connection and pressed the committee to summon the sitting president for questioning about his association with the late disgraced financier since his name had repeatedly shown up in the Epstein files. Former president Bill Clinton is set to face the same committee today (Friday). Mars square Uranus…

President Trump recently declared himself “completely exonerated” from any part in Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring. However, on Thursday, Democrat lawmakers in Congress launched an investigation into allegations that the Department of Justice has withheld files from the Epstein investigation. In the vast tranche of documents released by the DOJ, no details have been given about four interviews with a woman who claimed she was assaulted by Donald Trump when she was a minor. The four interviews she had with the FBI are listed in the index but with the exception of one, which dealt only with allegations of abuse by Epstein, fail to make an appearance.

Which makes the president’s State of the Union address (Tuesday) even more incongruous. I’ll leave the quotes at the head of the Bite from that address to speak for themselves.

Meanwhile, down Mexico way on Sunday, cartel boss Nemesio “El Mencho” Cervantes was killed in a US-intelligence aided Mexican military operation sparking a wave of violence in cities across the country.

Oh, and how could I not make mention of the Supreme Court’s ruling (6-3) last Friday that the sweeping global tariffs implemented by Donald Trump are unconstitutional. I don’t think it’s necessary for me to go into detail here, but suffice to say the invoking of the Emergency Powers Act was a “misinterpretation” of the bill. The president responded by replacing the outlawed tariffs with a 10% levy on all goods entering the United States. He raised the levy to 15% the next day.

One more thing. Peter Mandelson, former ambassador to the United States, former Secretary of State for Business and former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was released, uncharged although under investigation, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Are we astrologers surprised that so much controversy and conflict is taking place at this time? Not at all. This is precisely what you get when Mars squares Uranus on the degree of the recent solar eclipse and with a total lunar eclipse on its way in five days’ time. And between now and then, yet more astonishing events will surely occur. You may have noticed I made no mention of the build up of US forces in and around the Middle East, prompting expectations of a strike on Iran. If ever there was an astro-scape fit for such a development, this is it.

The above chart represents the time Peter Mandelson was arrested. This may have been the least important development of the last seven days but as far as the astrology is concerned it’s interesting. First, we should note the tight bundle of planets ranging from twenty-four degrees of Aquarius to one degree of Aries, which has been in place since mid-to-late January and presided over numerous epic developments. This bundle will continue to move through the zodiac for the next several weeks, which is why we must expect further unprecedented events.

On Monday, Mars was some three degrees away from the exact square to Uranus, however, it was squaring the Moon and, more important as far as Peter Mandelson is concerned, opposing his natal Pluto. While a Mars transit to natal Pluto might last only a couple of weeks and preside over a short period of turmoil, if it is backed by a transit of Pluto to a natal planet or point, it acts as a trigger to something far greater and more impactful. In Mandelson’s case, Pluto is approaching his IC, one end of the life direction axis, and with natal Pluto residing in the tenth house of career and role in life, this three-to-four year-transit is destined to completely transform his life and his standing in the world. He may go to prison.

Also worthy of note, Mandelson was born on the Saturn-Neptune conjunction of 1952/1953 – in fact his Libran Sun is at the midpoint of this formidable conjunction – which is an additional factor. The theme of atonement, of reaping one’s karmic rewards, is central to the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, and it is clearly evident in Mandelson’s case since he has consistently managed to get around situations that should have ended his political career. A Machiavellian character – Prince of Darkness as he was once known – has been found guilty of hubris and is finally beginning to pay the price.

I’ll leave you with the question of a US-Israel strike on Iran. Last June Operations Midnight Hammer and Rising Lion took place on a Mars-Uranus square so it is not inconceivable and certainly astrologically appropriate that another strike on Iran is in the pipeline, very possibly in the days surrounding the total lunar eclipse.

Friday Bite 20 February 2026

Conduct Unbecoming

“As part of the investigation, we have today arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.’  19 February, Thames Valley Police.

“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R.” King Charles III, 19 February

“I’m the expert in a way because I’ve been totally exonerated [from complicity in the Epstein affair]. That’s very nice. I can actually speak about it very nicely. I think it’s a shame. I did nothing,” Donald Trump, 19 February.

THERE IS REALLY only one story, although the theme of accountability that underscores it has resonated with more than one unprecedented development in the past seven days. And accountability is one of the preeminent themes of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, which takes place today. Another enduring theme of this conjunction is: the end of regimes.

At eight in the morning of 19 February, a posse of police vehicles entered the gates of the Sandringham estate. It was headed for Wood Farm, the temporary residence of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The officers had come to arrest the former prince on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Not since 1647 and the handover of Charles I into the custody of the English Parliament has a member of the British royal family been arrested. And we should note that the unfortunate King was beheaded in 1649. Later on Thursday, Andrew was released from custody and returned to Sandringham, uncharged but under investigation. And it may take months before any formal charges can be made, if indeed they ever will.

Before we look at the astrology presiding over these historic events, also on Thursday the former president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to life-imprisonment for mounting an insurrection against the government in December 2024.

Accountability. The stuff of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction.

Also before we get into all the ramifications of the events of the past twenty-four hours, mention should be made of the acute disparity between people in high places in Europe and the UK tumbling off their plinths while those of similar ilk in the United States remain standing, not least the current occupant of the White House whose name is mentioned thousands of times in the Epstein material – over a million if some reports are to be believed. And when you think the solar eclipse of 17 February at 28 degrees of Aquarius fell squarely on the US Moon, that’s quite the anomaly. I’d say more heads will roll in the coming weeks and one or two of them will have been on American shoulders.

THE NINETEENTH OF February 2026 is almost certainly going to go down as the worst day in the life of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and clearly his worst birthday ever. However, it could also go down in history as the day everything changed for the monarchy. It was a Charles I moment.

The above chart is based on the time Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested. Twenty-nine degrees of Pisces is rising and twenty-nine degrees of Sagittarius is culminating. Thus, all four angles fall on the anaretic degree – a degree associated with crisis and karma. (It is also worth mentioning that Great Britain’s Moon is placed at 29 degrees of Pisces…) Additionally, twenty-nine degrees of Pisces is the location of the fixed star Scheat, which has a most unfortunate reputation and is associated with tidal waves and violent storms at sea – clearly in this case in the metaphorical sense. Saturn is rising alongside Neptune and squaring the MC-IC axis reinforcing the all too familiar theme of accountability.

If we read this chart as a quasi-horary, giving great weight to the Moon and its aspects, that it will conjoin the Ascendant and sextile Uranus before it leaves the sign of Pisces, means it is not void-of-course and therefore something will “come of the matter”. (It is not going to end with Andrew’s exoneration.) Since the last aspect the Moon will make is with unpredictable Uranus, the matter will have unexpected if not untold consequences.

That the arrest of a member of the royal family occurred on the Saturn-Neptune conjunction is not insignificant, and yet another of its themes – shattered illusions – is redolent in this event. Andrew is not alone in having the veil stripped from his eyes; it is also emblematic of the mystique of monarchy disappearing into the mist to reveal the all too human aspects of its reality.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 19 February sixty-six years ago. Proud (and entitled) Leo rises with iconoclastic and wayward Uranus conjunct the Ascendant. I must add that Leo has many wonderful qualities too – warmth, vibrancy, courage and strength – so not every Leo-rising person is a malignant narcissist. Just Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Donald Trump maybe. His Sun at zero degrees, zero minutes of Pisces is placed in the Pluto-ruled eighth house along with Mercury, and his Moon is to be found in the Pluto-ruled sign of Scorpio. Not everyone with such astrological components is drawn to the night, but the pull of the mysterious, the magical and the forbidden will be there. Andrew, for instance, might have channelled his interests and talents into becoming a therapist, a deep-sea diver, a crime writer or criminologist. As it is, his level of consciousness has drawn him into a world in which depravities and corruption thrive, a world in which the light is lost.

Likewise, his stellium in Capricorn – Mars, Venus and Saturn – might have manifested as leadership ability and a great work-ethic. As it is, the love of money and position has eclipsed such noble qualities. He has become the worst of men, not the best.

Transiting Uranus has been hovering over his Moon for the past year, a year in which brother Charles has been trying to remove him from Royal Lodge. The King achieved his ends a matter of weeks ago and Andrew must have had barely enough time to unpack the video games before the knock on the door came. The Moon rules his twelfth house – the house of one’s undoing, the house of incarceration – so Uranus has a role to play in potentially relocating him to lodgings at His Majesty’s pleasure.

Taking the astrology into consideration and the evidence that we have of Andrew’s duplicity and dishonour, it is highly unlikely that he will fall on his sword, admit his guilt and take the wrap. Despite the evidence in emails revealing his betrayal of trade secrets and privileged information to Epstein and the mounting evidence of his part in the financier’s sex-trafficking ring, he is going to continue to believe that he has done nothing wrong. He’s going to hold out hope that the power and influence of the King, his brother, will protect him from the worst that could happen. What Andrew almost certainly cannot see is that it is he, through his narcissism, entitlement and greed, who has brought about the biggest crisis for the monarchy since February 1649 and the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the Commonwealth of England.

Speaking of which.

I just had to look at the astrology of that terrible time. And what did I find, but on the day Charles I was executed, Saturn and Neptune were in opposition, (as they were at the abdication of Edward VIII) thus resonating with the same themes that we are experiencing today – atonement and end-of-regimes – only the astrology was marginally worse since Neptune was conjunct Uranus and Saturn conjunct Pluto. And all four planets were squared by Mars. Plus, days after the establishment of the Commonwealth there was a solar eclipse.

I should add that Saturn and Neptune were not in close opposition at the time Charles I was arrested in 1647: the exact aspect occurred some months later. However, in keeping with more recent Saturn-Neptune combos, I have noticed that whatever the presenting event – the collapse of the Berlin Wall for instance – it takes a couple of years before the full effects of that event can be appreciated.

So, here we are, some 379 years later witnessing the arrest of a member of the royal family, an event which could change the shape of the monarchy as we know it. In my last Friday Bite, which you can find if you scroll down, I suggested that at the very least, greater transparency is necessary for the monarchy to survive, but what it may really take is for Charles to step back and William to become king. And maybe it will take the best part of two years for such a scenario to unfold.

One thing is for certain, this is just the beginning.