Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke of York and brother of King Charles III, was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking a dramatic escalation in the legal troubles surrounding the embattled royal.
The arrest, which took place on his 66th birthday, was confirmed by British police forces following a raid on his current residence. According to reports, law enforcement officials arrived at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk early Thursday morning to take the former prince into custody.
Mountbatten-Windsor has been residing at Sandringham, the King's country estate in Norfolk, after being compelled to leave his previous home at Royal Lodge in Windsor. His relocation came amid continued fallout from his widely criticized association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Thames Valley Police, the force responsible for the area covering his former residence, confirmed that the arrest stems from an investigation into newly surfaced allegations regarding the Duke’s conduct following Epstein’s initial conviction. Specifically, authorities are assessing reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent communications regarding trade reports to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010—a period during which Epstein was already a registered sex offender.
In accordance with standard UK legal procedures that restrict the naming of suspects unless formally charged, the Thames Valley Police did not explicitly identify Mountbatten-Windsor by name in their initial public statements. However, when pressed by reporters, the force directed attention to a press release confirming the arrest of a man in his sixties in connection with an allegation of misconduct in public office.
Police Statement on Probe
In an official statement released Thursday afternoon, the Thames Valley Police sought to assure the public of the integrity of their investigation while remaining tight-lipped on specific details.
"Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office," the force stated. "It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence."
Legal experts note that "misconduct in public office" is a serious common law offence in the UK, typically defined as a public officer acting (or omitting to act) in their official capacity, wilfully neglecting their duty, or behaving in a way that constitutes a breach of the public's trust.
The arrest adds a significant new chapter to the public downfall of the Duke of York. Stripped of his royal patronages and military affiliations, and having stepped back from public duties, Andrew has spent recent years largely out of the public eye. The allegations being investigated relate to the period following the controversial 2010 visit during which he was photographed walking with Epstein in New York’s Central Park.
The timing of the arrest—coinciding with his 66th birthday—adds a layer of personal drama to the legal proceedings. As of Thursday evening, Buckingham Palace had not issued a formal comment regarding the arrest, though sources indicate that the King has been kept informed of the situation.
Mountbatten-Windsor remains in custody as the investigation continues.
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