Former Prince Andrew Arrested on Epstein-Related Charges

The former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested Thursday for suspected misconduct in public office after revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files. King Charles III's younger brother was arrested on his 66th birthday, about two weeks after an anti-royal organization called for police to investigate documents indicating that Andrew shared confidential government information with the late American sex offender when the royal worked as a British trade envoy. 

The arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police have not said what led to the arrest, but Andrew spent a decade as UK trade envoy. Shortly after 8 a.m. local time, six unmarked police vehicles were seen arriving at Wood Farm, Andrew's new residence on King Charles' Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England. 

The Thames Valley Police force confirmed just over a week ago that it was assessing claims against Mountbatten-Windsor that emerged in the latest release of Epstein files by the U.S. Justice Department to determine whether a formal investigation was warranted.  Thames Valley Police confirmed the arrest in a statement but did not name the suspect, in line with standard British police procedures.

Historic significance

The stunning development marks the first arrest of a member of the royal family in centuries and makes him the most high-profile figure to face criminal accusations in a scandal that continues to sweep in some of the world's richest and most powerful. King Charles III said he learned of the arrest "with the deepest concern" and stressed that "the law must take its course." Andrew is the first senior British royal to be arrested in nearly 400 years. 

The arrest comes after a remarkable fall from grace for the brother of King Charles III, who was stripped of his titles last year and is now known only as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — and is yet another blow to Britain's already beleaguered royal family. 

What the Epstein files revealed

Among the documents released by the U.S. government this year was a draft email that appears to show Maxwell confirming the authenticity of an undated photo showing Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and close Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Mountbatten-Windsor had previously suggested the photo could have been faked, and Maxwell made the same claim in a jailhouse interview in early 2023. 

In the message, sent by "G Maxwell" to Epstein in 2015, she wrote: "In 2001 I was in London when [name redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family."