Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to information from BBC.
The broadcaster highlighted the presence of what appeared to be unmarked police vehicles on Thursday morning (19) in Sandringham, Norfolk, where the former prince has been living since leaving his home in Windsor.
The former British royal was stripped of his title due to his involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and now faces numerous charges.
The broadcaster reported that authorities had made a significant breakthrough in their investigation into Epstein’s files, which date back to the time Andrew was a special envoy for the United Kingdom. He is being investigated for allegedly passing state information to Epstein.
Since the US Department of Justice began releasing thousands of files on Jeffrey Epstein, the British royal family has faced intense pressure due to the former prince’s alleged connection to the financier and his crimes.
Andrew was accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, the prosecution’s main witness in the Epstein case, when she was a minor. Her family stated that she died by suicide at the age of 41. The former member of the royal family denies all allegations against him.
See full police statement
Thames Valley Police released a public statement, without naming Andrew.
“As part of the investigation, we today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. The man remains in police custody at this time.
We will not release the name of the man arrested in accordance with national guidelines. Please also remember that this case is ongoing, so any posting should be done with caution to avoid contempt of court.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: ‘After a thorough assessment, we have opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.
It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged crime.
We understand the significant public interest in this case and will provide updates in due course.”
