ANDREW Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, was arrested by the UK Police on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office following damaging allegations over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The King issued a statement from Buckingham Palace to express his “deepest concern” as the news of the arrest hit the headlines, stressing that the “law must take its course”. “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the King’s statement reads. “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 cooperation. “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,” he said. Andrew was arrested from the King’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where he was residing after moving out of the Royal Lodge on the British monarch’s Windsor Castle estate. Thames Valley Police said they are carrying out searches at addresses associated with the former prince in Berkshire and Norfolk, while he remains in police custody. While the force said they would not be naming the arrested man, it was soon established that the arrested suspect was Andrew, who turned 66 on Thursday. As Duke of York, Andrew had served as the UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, travelling globally and having privileged access to senior government and business contacts around the world. According to the Epstein emails release, Andrew was accused of forwarding government reports from official visits to the American sex offender and financier, who died in a New York prison in August 2019.

 

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” said Oliver Wright, Assistant Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police. “It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence.” “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” he said. In UK law, an arrest requires police to have reasonable grounds to suspect an offence has taken place and reasonable grounds for believing that it is necessary to arrest the person in question. Mountbatten-Windsor was forced to step down from the trade role in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

 

Once a subject of media fascination for his love life, the man the tabloids dubbed “Randy Andy” became a regular source of headlines because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including Epstein, the American financier and convicted sex offender. After Epstein was arrested again in 2019, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight programme, in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein. It backfired and he was widely criticised for giving unbelievable explanations and for failing to show empathy for Epstein’s victims. Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on November 20, 2019, that he was giving up public duties and charity roles “for the foreseeable future.” In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work. Andrew ultimately settled the case for an undisclosed sum. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, Andrew did acknowledge Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025, aged 41. That was not the end of the story. After emails emerged last year showing Andrew remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously claimed, King Charles III stripped his brother of his princely title and other honours and his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor.