Former British prince Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconduct relating to Epstein

LONDON – Britain’s King Charles’ younger brother, Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on Feb 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he sent confidential government documents to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The former prince was taken into custody after six unmarked police cars and about eight plain-clothes officers arrived at his residence at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, media reports said.

In response, King Charles said it was with “deepest concern” he learnt about the arrest, but that the law must take its course.

“I have learnt with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” he said in a statement.

“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. Let me state clearly: The law must take its course,” he added.

In a statement published online on Feb 19, the Thames Valley Police said it has opened a probe into an offence of misconduct in public office. It added it was searching two addresses, one in eastern England and one west of London, after Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.

The Thames Valley Police earlier in February said officers were considering allegations that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor

passed confidential government documents

to Epstein, according to files recently released by the US government.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender,

was found dead

in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Possible life sentence

A conviction for misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and must be dealt with in a Crown Court, which deals only with the most serious criminal offences.

In 2022, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor

settled a civil lawsuit

brought in the US by the late Ms Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The police investigation is not related to this or any other allegation of sexual impropriety.

The former prince was forced to quit all official royal duties in 2019 over his ties with Epstein and was then

stripped by his older brother of his titles and honours

in October 2025 amid further revelations about their relationship.

Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who turns 66 on Feb 19, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he regrets their friendship.

He was reported to the police by anti-monarchy campaign group Republic after the release of more than three million pages of documents linked to Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

The files suggest Mr Mountbatten-Windsor in 2010 forwarded to Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places that he visited on official trips. The Thames Valley Police and Crown Prosecution Service have said they are in discussions about the case.

The police said allegations of misconduct in public office fall under common law offences, which are not covered by written statute legislation, and involve “particular complexities”.

Long line of infamy

Were Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to ultimately face criminal charges, he would join a very small group of senior British royals who have formally been accused of offences.

His elder sister, Princess Anne, was fined for speeding in 2001, and in the following year became the first royal to be convicted of a criminal offence in 350 years when she appeared in court to plead guilty to failing to stop one of her dogs, named Dotty, from biting two children.

King Charles I was tried for treason in 1649 towards the end of the English Civil War, found guilty and beheaded.

The misconduct investigation is not the only accusation against Mr Mountbatten-Windsor into which police are looking.

Republic has also reported him over allegations that he was involved in the trafficking of a woman to Britain for sex in 2010. Thames Valley Police said the force was assessing allegations that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor, where the former prince lived until recently.

Buckingham Palace has said it is ready to support any police investigation.

“Their majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse,” the palace said.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has also called for a police investigation into the extent to which Epstein was trafficking women without proper checks by the authorities through London’s Stansted Airport, saying this had been overlooked by previous inquiries into Mr Mountbatten-Windsor.

Essex police said on Feb 18 that they were looking into the issue. REUTERS