Britain’s former royal, Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking an unprecedented development in the United Kingdom’s modern royal history.
According to a statement issued by Thames Valley Police, a man in his sixties from Norfolk was arrested on February 19 in connection with alleged misconduct during his tenure as a UK trade envoy. As is standard UK practice, police did not name the suspect, but multiple British media outlets confirmed the arrest relates to Andrew.
The 66-year-old, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was stripped of his royal titles last year by his brother, King Charles III, amid mounting controversy over his past associations.
The arrest comes as investigations intensify following fresh disclosures from files related to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Newly released documents reportedly show Andrew shared potentially confidential materials with Epstein during his time as a British trade envoy. In one November 2010 email seen by AFP, Andrew allegedly sent reports concerning Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Singapore following an official trip to Asia.
He was said to have also shared details about investment opportunities connected to the visit.
Official UK guidelines require trade envoys to maintain strict confidentiality regarding sensitive commercial or political information gathered during official engagements.
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing regarding his relationship with Epstein
At least nine separate UK police forces are reviewing information connected to Andrew’s alleged links to Epstein.
Surrey Police confirmed it is assessing a redacted report alleging human trafficking and sexual assault of a minor between 1994 and 1996 in Virginia Water, southeastern England. However, the force stated it found no evidence the allegations were previously reported and urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The latest developments follow the US Justice Department’s release of millions of documents linked to Epstein’s case.
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a deeper investigation into historical flight records allegedly connected to Epstein’s network.
Writing in New Statesman magazine, Brown claimed earlier investigations may not have adequately examined flight data tied to the former prince.
London’s Metropolitan Police has also launched a separate inquiry into the relationship between the UK’s former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and Epstein.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has stated it is ready to support law enforcement authorities in their investigations.
The arrest represents the most serious escalation yet in Andrew’s years-long fall from grace, stemming from his ties to Epstein and allegations made by one of Epstein’s victims, claims he has consistently denied.
