The arrest of a member of the royal family is unprecedented in the modern British era, as the police reported that it is also searching two properties, in the east of England and west London, as part of its investigation.
This is a new humiliating blow for the brother the king Charles IIIwho last year was stripped of his titles, and on Thursday, during his 66th birthday, was taken into custody.
“Today (19/2) we arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” Thames Valley Police said in a statement, without identifying the suspect, as is common practice in the United Kingdom.
Officers “are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk,” the police added, noting that “the man remains in police custody at this time.”
Images published by British media showed a fleet of unmarked vehicles, presumably police vehicles, arriving early Thursday morning at King Charles III’s Sandringham estate in eastern England, where Andrew moved at the beginning of the month.
The arrest follows new revelations last week that appear to indicate that Andres sent convicted American sex offender Epstein potentially sensitive documents during his time as a UK trade envoy.
“Worry”
In a November 2010 email seen by AFP, Andrés apparently shared information with Epstein about several Asian countries after an official visit to the region.
The former royal, now known as Andres Mountbatten-Windsor, also reportedly sent the American financier details of the trip — on which he was accompanied by Epstein’s business associates — along with investment opportunities months later.
Last year, Charles stripped his brother of his titles and ordered him to leave his mansion on the Windsor estate, although he remains eighth in line to the British throne.
This followed one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, recounting in shocking detail in her posthumous memoirs allegations that she was trafficked into sexual relations with Andrés as a teenager.
She had previously denied any wrongdoing in her relationship with Epstein. Andrés settled a US civil lawsuit filed by Giuffre in 2022, without admitting liability.
Last week, the king expressed “concern” about his brother’s alleged actions and, in an unprecedented statement, said Buckingham Palace was “ready to support” the police.
According to the BBC, official guidelines stipulate that trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial or political information relating to their official visits.
Andrés, whose links to Epstein have led to a spectacular fall from grace over the years, served as British trade envoy for a decade from 2001.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, misconduct in public office carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
“Strong message”
Andrew is deeply unpopular among the British public, and many celebrated his arrest on Thursday. Under British law, he can be detained for 24 hours without charge, after which police must apply to the courts for an extension of his custody.
“I’m pleased. It’s a strong message. He deserves it. He’s been hiding behind his privileges… for too many years,” lawyer Emma Carter, 55, told AFP in London.
At least nine UK police forces have confirmed that they are evaluating reports that appear to link the former prince to Epstein.
Police in Surrey, southeast England, requested information on Wednesday after becoming aware of a redacted report alleging “human trafficking and sexual assault of a minor” in the mid-1990s.
The report emerged in the latest batch of millions of files released by the US Department of Justice in connection with the investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
This comes after high-profile figures, including former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have urged police to investigate dozens of flights dating back decades that arrived at UK airports and are linked to Epstein.
In an article published in the magazine New Statesman Last week, Brown claimed he had been “privately informed that investigations relating to the former Prince Andrew did not adequately verify vital evidence from the flights”, dubbed by the British media as the “Lolita Express”.
“I have asked the police to look into this as part of the new investigation,” he said.
London’s Metropolitan Police have also launched an investigation into the relationship between former UK ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson and the disgraced financier.
