Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew and the younger brother of King Charles III, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, reports Baltimore Chronicle via ABC News. The arrest was confirmed by Thames Valley Police, which stated that officers detained a man in his sixties from Norfolk and were conducting searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
In an official statement, Thames Valley Police said the suspect remains in custody. Authorities declined to identify the arrested individual, citing national guidance that restricts naming suspects at this stage of proceedings.
Photographs taken at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England showed several police officers arriving in unmarked vehicles on Thursday morning. The date of the arrest coincided with Andrew’s 66th birthday.
King Charles III issued a statement later the same day, saying he had learned “with the deepest concern” of the news regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the suspicion of misconduct in public office. He added that the matter would proceed through a “full, fair and proper process” handled by the appropriate authorities and said they would receive full support and cooperation. The monarch stated that the law must take its course and indicated he would not comment further while the investigation is ongoing, adding that his family would continue its public duties.
The arrest follows the recent emergence of documents detailing communication between Andrew and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Emails released by the U.S. Justice Department show correspondence between Epstein and David Stern, an aide to Andrew, and suggest that the royal may have considered leveraging his role as the United Kingdom’s special representative for trade and investment to advance personal business interests.
The emails date back to 2010. Andrew served as a British trade envoy from 2001 until 2011. Buckingham Palace announced in 2011 that he would step down from the role amid criticism surrounding his associations with controversial figures, including Epstein.
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Jeffrey Epstein.
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