Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested and charged on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The former Prince, who was stripped of his royal titles late last year, is confirmed to be in custody.
A statement from Thames Valley police, as per BBC, reads: “As part of the investigation, we have 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 be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance. Please also remember that this case is now active so care should be taken with any publication to avoid being in contempt of court.”
In addition, Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now 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 offence. We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
According to the BBC, police are searching addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk in relation to the arrest. The report suggests that Andrew’s arrest is linked to an investigation into the recently released Epstein files, “That goes back to documents from when he was a trade envoy, that are alleged to have been passed to Epstein”. However, at the time of writing, the details of the investigation – including the allegations – have not been confirmed. Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing in all matters related to Jeffrey Epstein.
We will continue to update this story.