British police on Thursday arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct in public office after accusations that he shared confidential information with financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy, according to a report by The New York Times.
The arrest represents a dramatic escalation in the long-running fallout from Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with Epstein and poses a fresh crisis for the British monarchy.
Police were seen Thursday morning at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, the privately owned country residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, where Mountbatten-Windsor has been living, the Times reported.
In a written statement cited by the newspaper, King Charles confirmed his brother’s arrest and said he supported a “full, fair and proper process” regarding the investigation.
“Let me state clearly: The law must take its course,” the king said, adding that authorities involved have the royal family’s “full and wholehearted support and cooperation.”
Buckingham Palace had not been informed of the arrest before it occurred Thursday morning, according to a palace spokesman quoted in the report.
Allegations tied to newly released documents
The investigation follows a tranche of documents released Jan. 30 by the U.S. Department of Justice that included emails suggesting Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared confidential government materials with Epstein while working as Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment.
In one email cited by the Times, Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to forward official reports about visits he made to South Asia in 2010 that had been sent to him by an assistant.
British authorities have moved aggressively to examine potential crimes emerging from roughly three million pages of Epstein-related correspondence, the Times reported, a contrast to the more limited law-enforcement response in the United States so far.
Long-running controversies
Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, has faced intense scrutiny for years over his ties to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexually abusing her when she was 17 after Epstein trafficked her to him around 2001. In 2022, Mountbatten-Windsor paid Giuffre an undisclosed sum to settle a civil lawsuit in New York. He denied the allegations and did not admit liability.
According to the Times, Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles last year and evicted from Royal Lodge, his longtime residence in Windsor, further cementing his fall from public life. He has consistently denied wrongdoing related to Epstein.
His representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Wider investigation
The Epstein-related disclosures have also drawn other British figures into scrutiny. Police are examining whether Peter Mandelson, a senior political figure who served as Britain’s ambassador to the United States, committed misconduct in public office by allegedly sharing sensitive government information with Epstein. Mandelson has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
The latest documents also indicated that Sarah Ferguson, Mountbatten-Windsor’s ex-wife, maintained correspondence with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution, according to the report.
Further details about the arrest, including possible charges or court proceedings, were not immediately released.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
