Former British prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was previously stripped of his royal titles because of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Years later, the former Prince Andrew is seeing the inside of a jail cell over those same links. And to top it off? His arrest date, Feb. 19, marks his 66th birthday.
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What Police Have Said About The Former Prince Andrew’s Arrest
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. However, concerns about the former prince’s links to the late Epstein have dogged the royal family for more than a decade. Still, the arrest of a monarch’s brother was an extraordinary development. The arrest has no precedent in modern times and will no doubt put more pressure on the crown.
Thames Valley Police confirmed that officials arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk, in eastern England, per the Associated Press. The agency covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home. It did not identify the suspect, which is standard procedure in Britain. When asked to confirm if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested, AP reports that the agency pointed to its statement. For context, Mountbatten-Windsor moved to Charles’ estate in Norfolk after he was evicted from his home near Windsor Castle earlier this month.
Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that in most cases, suspects are held between 12 and 24 hours. At that point, official either press charges or release suspects pending further investigation. The absolute longest the former prince can be held for is 96 hours. But this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a Magistrate’s Court. It is unclear what time Andrew was arrested. AP reports that the former Prince Andrew will wait for his police interview in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet.”
“There’ll be no special treatment for him,” Shaw said.
How The U.S. Aided In Andrew’s Arrest
Thames Valley Police previously said it was “assessing” reports that the former Prince Andrew sent confidential trade reports to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. At that time, Andrew was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Local police picked up the reports tip after the U.S. released millions of pages of documents last month from the Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein. In those pages, there’s correspondence between Andrew and Jeffrey about said reports and more.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
Police also said they were searching two properties. The arrest came after pictures circulated online that appeared to show unmarked police cars at Wood Farm with plainclothes officers gathering outside. That farm is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
King Charles III Speaks Out
After the arrest, King Charles III said the law must take its course in the investigation and agreed to cooperate. Also, he sought to reassure the British public that he would continue to serve them.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the king said. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.” He addressed the British public, saying: “My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
He signed the statement Charles R., in line with the convention that British monarchs use to sign their names. The R. stands for rex, Latin for king. The late Queen Elizabeth II forced Mountbatten-Windsor to give up royal duties and end his charitable work in 2019. At the time, he tried to explain away his ties to Jeffrey Epstein during a catastrophic interview with the BBC. But more details about the relationship emerged in a book published last year. In response, Charles stripped him of the right to be called a prince and ordered him to move.
Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that it was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Jeffrey Epstein. King Charles was forced to act after the pages from the U.S. release revealed the extent of his brother’s relationship with Epstein. That relationship continued long after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Family Of Prince Andrew’s Late Victim Reacts To His Arrest
To note, the allegations being investigated on Thursday are separate from those made by Virginia Giuffre. She previously revealed she had been trafficked to Britain to have sex with Andrew in 2001, when she was just 17. Giuffre died by suicide last year. Her family praised the arrest of the former British Prince, saying:
“Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.” The family added, “He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
Craig Prescott, a royal expert at the University of London, called the arrest the “most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times.” The last time a senior British royal was arrested was almost 400 years ago, during the reign of King Charles I. At the time, there was a growing power struggle between the crown and Parliament. After the king attempted to arrest lawmakers in the House of Commons in 1642, hostilities erupted into the English Civil War. That war ended with victory for the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell. Meanwhile, Charles was arrested, tried, convicted of high treason and beheaded in 1649.
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Associated Press writer Danica Kirka contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
