Police arrested the former Prince Andrew on Thursday — his 66th birthday — after weeks of revelations over his friendship and dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The development, unprecedented in the modern era, follows years of scrutiny over Andrew’s relationship with Epstein, heightened in recent weeks by the release of millions of Justice Department files related to the late, disgraced financier.
It comes after a remarkable fall from grace for the brother of King Charles III, now known only as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and will deal another blow to Britain’s already beleaguered royal family. The king expressed his “deepest concern” at the news and stressed that “the law must take its course.”
Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles last year, has always denied any wrongdoing in connection to his affiliation with Epstein.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement early Thursday it had arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the United Kingdom.
The police force, which covers an area in southern England where Mountbatten-Windsor used to live, did not name him, as is standard practice under British law. Asked whether Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested, the police responded with the statement.
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said. “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.”
Police said they were searching two addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. Mountbatten-Windsor lived in Windsor’s Royal Lodge in Berkshire until earlier this month; his new home on the Sandringham Estate, a royal residence, is in Norfolk.
Earlier, news photographers captured what appeared to be unmarked police cars arriving at Mountbatten-Windsor’s home in Sandringham.
Norfolk Police said in a statement that it was “supporting a Thames Valley Police investigation into misconduct in a public office.”
Earlier this month, Thames Valley Police said it was looking into a claim that the former prince, while serving as U.K. trade envoy in 2010, had shared confidential documents with Epstein.
One email among the latest U.S. release appears to show Mountbatten-Windsor forwarding Epstein a report from his special adviser about the then-prince’s visit to Southeast Asia.
Mountbatten-Windsor has not commented on the latest batch of files published by the DOJ.
It caps years of growing pressure on Mountbatten-Windsor, the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, over his years-long friendship with Epstein.
NBC News
