Three biggest questions after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has been arrested.
The disgraced duke has been arrested on suspicion of sharing confidential information with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police were seen this morning at the Sandringham Estate, an estate King Charles personally owns in Norfolk.
For the latest developments, follow our live coverage here.
The force said a man in his 60s from Norfolk has been arrested for misconduct in public office.
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Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest is the latest chapter in his fall from grace – here are the three things you need to know.
The former Duke of York, who turned 66 today, has consistently denied wrongdoing.
What does misconduct in a public office mean?
Misconduct in public office, sometimes called MiPO, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
It concerns ‘public officers’ – a wide-ranging label for roles such as elected officials, government staff and prison staff – who ‘wilfully neglect to perform their duty’.
Examples include a police officer accessing a police database to obtain information for a criminal, or a probation officer harbouring a wanted criminal, according to prosecution guidance.
The bar for how serious wilful neglect of duty or misconduct is high, and must amount to an abuse of the public’s trust.
‘Mere negligence or even a serious mistake will not suffice,’ prosecutors add.
What happens next after Andrew’s arrest?
The police can only hold suspects for up to 24 hours before they have to either charge or release them. They can be held for 96 hours but only if a court grants an extension.
It’s up to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether someone is charged with an offence.
Members of the Royal Family can go to prison if they are found to have committed a crime.
Marcus Johnstone, director of the criminal defence firm PCD Solicitors, says the authorities are a long way from a prosecution.
‘We can expect things to proceed in the same way as other high-profile criminal investigations,’ Johnstone says.
‘Andrew will be interviewed under caution, and the police have already sought a warrant to search his home and seize documents and electronics. Other suspects or persons of interest may be identified and interviewed, including potential beneficiaries of these alleged crimes.’
Where are the Royal Family today?
King Charles is to open London Fashion Week, which is being held in Soho, London.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s older brother said in a statement that ‘the law must take its course’.
He added: ‘What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which the issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.’
Queen Camilla arrived this morning at Sinfonia Smith Square, a concert hall in Westminster, to attend a lunchtime orchestral performance.
The Prince and Princess of Wales support the King’s statement following the arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor, the Press Association reports.
Princess Anne, meanwhile, is visiting His Majesty’s Prison Leeds in her role as Patron of the Butler Trust, which recognises prison system work.
No official engagements are listed on the royal family website today.
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