The former Prince of the United Kingdom, Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested early Thursday morning, becoming the first senior member of the British royal family to be arrested in modern history.
This marked an extraordinary development in the long-running saga surrounding the king’s brother, the former prince Andrew, which intensified after the U.S. Department of Justice released documents providing new information about his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
So what is known about the arrest of the former prince?
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of abusing his powers in a public-service role, Thames Valley Police said. This means willful misuse or neglect of the authority he held as a public official. The police did not specify the grounds for the arrest, but Andrew served as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to the Americas from 2001 to 2011.
The documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice last month indicated that the former prince, who was subject to the same confidentiality standards as government officials, maintained contacts with Epstein during his time as trade commissioner.
Thames Valley Police had previously said they were assessing whether Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential materials with Epstein at the time, as well as allegations that Epstein transported a woman to the United Kingdom for sexual contact with the former prince.
The police did not press charges against Mountbatten-Windsor for any sexual offences.
The former prince rejected all the allegations and insisted that he had never witnessed or suspected such behavior by Epstein. He did not publicly comment on these new allegations of public-service misconduct that emerged after DOJ publications.
On Thursday, unmarked police cars arrived at his home at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, on his birthday.
He moved into this house earlier in the month after Charles evicted him from the Windsor royal residence amid the fallout from earlier Epstein materials.
On Thursday, police in uniform were also seen at the gates of Royal Lodge, Andrew’s former residence.
Norfolk Police, the jurisdiction covering Sandringham, said it supported the Thames Valley Police investigation.
What previous scandals was he involved in?
Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest is the latest development in the years-long controversy over his ties to Epstein.
He stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after a failed BBC interview in which he tried to deny any allegations of improper conduct.
He said he had no recollection of meeting Virginia Giuffre, who later accused the royal of sexual contact with her three times when she was a teenager.
She filed a lawsuit against Mountbatten-Windsor in a New York state court in 2021, accusing him of sexual assault. Despite claims that he never met her, the royal family allegedly paid Giuffre millions of dollars in 2022 to settle the case, without admitting liability.
Last year, Charles stripped his brother of the prince title and expelled him from Windsor Estate, which became the most publicized downgrade of a senior member of the British royal family since the Abdication Crisis of 1936.
Charles expressed sincere support for continuing investigations into his brother, stressing in a hastily released statement that “the law must run its course.”
He added that he learned of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest “with deep concern” and reiterated that Buckingham Palace could count on its “cooperation” during any investigations.
“The law must run its course.”– King Charles III, of the United Kingdom
This is a development that is unprecedented in modern times.
Princess Anne, Andrew’s sister, had a run-in with the law in 2002 when her dog was found guilty and fined after the dog attacked two children. However, she was not arrested for it.
To find the latest case of arrest of a senior member of the royal family, one would have to go back to the 17th century and the execution of King Charles I in 1649.
So far, it is not known what specific information prompted the arrest on Thursday, where Mountbatten-Windsor is being held, or how long he will remain in custody. In most cases in England and Wales, suspects can be held for up to 24 hours, after which formal charges are brought or they are released. For serious offences, detention can last up to 96 hours.
@CNN
