Thames Valley Police have taken Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor into custody following the opening of a formal misconduct investigation, with searches simultaneously carried out at two properties connected to the former royal.
Officers arrested the 66-year-old at the King’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk at 8am on Thursday morning — his birthday — while separate searches were launched at Royal Lodge, his former residence within Windsor Great Park in Berkshire. Norfolk Constabulary confirmed it was supporting the Thames Valley investigation.
The arrest centres on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, a charge rooted in Andrew’s decade-long role as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment between 2001 and 2011. In that capacity, he travelled extensively and held privileged access to senior political and business figures worldwide. Trade envoys are bound by official confidentiality obligations covering sensitive commercial and political information gathered during official visits.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice in January appear to show Andrew forwarding government briefing reports from official visits to Vietnam, Singapore and China to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Separate files within the same release appear to show investment information relating to gold and uranium opportunities in Afghanistan was also passed to Epstein.
Police had been reviewing the allegations since the Epstein files became public and confirmed this week that, following a thorough assessment, a formal investigation had been opened. A second allegation — that a woman in her 20s, not British, was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010 — is being assessed separately. Thursday’s arrest is not connected to any allegations of sexual offences.
King Charles III, who had not been given advance warning of the arrest, said he received the news with “deepest concern.” In a formal statement, he pledged his “full and wholehearted support and co-operation” to police, adding clearly: “The law must take its course.” The Prince and Princess of Wales are understood to support the King’s position.
The royal family continued with scheduled engagements through the day. The King attended the opening of London Fashion Week and did not respond to reporters’ questions. Queen Camilla, leaving a concert in Windsor, waved but also declined to comment when asked about her brother-in-law’s arrest.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown separately told the BBC he had submitted a five-page letter to several police forces containing additional information drawn from the Epstein files, beyond material he had already provided the previous week.
Sky Roberts, brother of the late Virginia Giuffre — who settled a civil case against Andrew out of court in 2022 — described the arrest as “a win for survivors,” crediting his sister’s earlier legal action as the foundation for the investigation reaching this point. Andrew had previously settled that case with no admission of wrongdoing.
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout years of public scrutiny. He stepped back from royal duties in 2019, lost his military titles and patronages in 2022, and was stripped of his princely title in October 2025. He remains in custody as the investigation continues. Thames Valley Police said further updates would be provided “at the appropriate time.”
