The King’s brother has reportedly been taken into custody on his 66th birthday
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew and brother of King Charles, has reportedly been arrested by UK police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. It comes after he was found to be closely associated with convicted pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
On Thursday, British outlets reported that unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers had arrived at the ex-Prince’s residence and taken him into custody. According to reports, authorities suspect Mountbatten-Windsor of sharing sensitive information with Epstein while he was a UK trade envoy.
The reported arrest, which comes on Mountbatten-Windsor’s 66th birthday, marks the first time a member of the royal family has been arrested by police in recent history.
Thames Valley Police have confirmed that an investigation has been opened and that they have 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 understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright told the media.
The arrest comes after the release of the Epstein files, totaling over 3.5 million pages, which has triggered a wave of resignations across several countries.
In the UK, the political fallout has been severe, with three senior officials in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government stepping down, and Andrew being stripped of his titles by the King.