Photo: Alamy
Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, was arrested Thursday as part of a British investigation into alleged official misconduct connected to his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to media reports.
British and American news outlets reported that the former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into custody on his 66th birthday at his residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
The arrest follows the recent release of documents by the U.S. Justice Department that suggested Andrew shared confidential British government information with Epstein and others during his time as a U.K. trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police said last week that it had opened an investigation into allegations referenced in the Justice Department documents. On Thursday, the force confirmed an arrest had been made.
“As part of the investigation, we have today 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,” police said in a statement.
Authorities added that the suspect “remains in police custody at this time.”
The development marks another setback for the British royal family, which has faced years of scrutiny over Andrew’s association with Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing.
In 2022, the royal family stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages amid mounting public pressure following civil allegations related to his ties to Epstein. He has since stepped back from public royal duties.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the situation shortly before news of the arrest broke, telling the BBC that “nobody is above the law.”
“Justice has to apply in this case in the same way it would in any other case,” Starmer said.
Officials have not released further details about the specific allegations or the scope of the ongoing investigation.
