King Charles has insisted “the law must take its course” after detectives took the unprecedented step of arresting his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Police took him to Aylsham police station in Norfolk on Thursday morning for questioning about allegations he shared confidential material with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In the evening he was pictured in the back of a car being driven away from the police station shortly after 7pm.
Thames Valley police said he was released under investigation, and searches at a property in Norfolk, Andrew’s home on the Sandringham estate, had concluded. Searches at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire, his former address, were continuing.
On an extraordinary day that could have profound effects for the royal family, unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers from the Thames Valley force were seen at Mountbatten-Windsor’s residence at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate at about 8am. They searched the Norfolk property as well as his former home in the Royal Lodge in Great Windsor Park.
Hours later Charles gave his unqualified backing to the police investigation into his brother, who was arrested on his 66th birthday. The king said the “law must take its course”.
“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities,” Charles said in a statement. “In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and cooperation.”
In the glare of increased public scrutiny, the king and queen continued their royal duties with Charles attending three separate in-person audiences at St James’s Palace and Camilla visiting the Sinfonia Smith Square in Westminster for a lunchtime orchestral concert.
Meanwhile, Princess Anne visited a prison, HMP Leeds, in her capacity as patron of the Butler Trust, a UK charity that promotes the work of staff in prisons, probation and youth justice.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, thought to be the first time in modern history that a member of the royal family has been held by police, came only hours after the prime minister, Keir Starmer, said “nobody is above the law” when questioned about the former prince. He added that “anybody who has any information should testify”.
Thames Valley police said it had arrested “a man in his 60s from Norfolk” on suspicion of misconduct in public office and was carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
Oliver Wright, one of the force’s assistant chief constables, 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.”
Two key decisions were made before the arrest of the king’s brother.
The first was that inviting Mountbatten-Windsor in for an interview under caution would not be enough, with detectives believing arrest “was necessary to progress the investigation”, a source said.
The second key decision was that there would need to be searches.
The arrest would grant police search powers of properties linked to the former prince. That meant there was no need to separately apply to a magistrate for a search warrant.
Norfolk police confirmed they were supporting Thames Valley’s investigation.
It is understood neither the king nor Buckingham Palace was informed in advance of Andrew’s arrest.
Police leaders informed the Home Office on Thursday morning that officers were going to arrest Andrew and carry out searches. The National Police Chiefs’ Council said in a statement: “In line with routine practice, the [NPCC] alerted operational colleagues within the Home Office of the arrest. This gave 30 minutes’ notice before Thames Valley police made the arrest.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing or accusations against him. Thames Valley is one of a number of police forces to have assessed allegations that resurfaced when the US justice department published the so-called Epstein files.
The force said previously it was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, and claims the former prince shared sensitive information with the disgraced financier while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexually abusing her when she was 17 as part of a sex trafficking ring run by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell – allegations the former prince has denied – released a statement on Thursday.
Her family members Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson said: “At last. Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty. On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the UK’s Thames Valley police for their investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
Wright said previously that information was evaluated during an assessment phase to determine whether a criminal offence was suspected and a full investigation required. “Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly,” he said at a press briefing last week.
Responding to Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the former prime minister Gordon Brown said: “I have submitted a five-page memorandum to the Metropolitan, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and other relevant UK police constabularies.
“This memorandum provides new and additional information to that which I submitted last week to the Met, Essex and Thames Valley police forces, where I expressed my concern that we secure justice for trafficked girls and women.”
According to the Crown Prosecution Service’s website, misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Mountbatten-Windsor could also face questions about alleged sexual wrongdoing while under arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to a lawyer who specialises in representing abuse survivors.
In 2015, the retired Church of England bishop Peter Ball, an associate of the king, was jailed for 32 months for misconduct in public office after the court was told that he had misused his authority over young men for sexual gratification.
Richard Scorer, the head of abuse law at Slater and Gordon, said: “If prosecutors build a case which convinces a jury that Andrew misused his position to have sex with young women, in my opinion he could be pursued on that basis.”
Republic, a group that campaigns to abolish the monarchy, welcomed the arrest, which it claimed was in response to a crime report sent to Thames Valley police by its chief executive, Graham Smith. He said: “Republic’s lawyers will continue to investigate related alleged offences and provide information to the police over the coming weeks and months.”
The allegations stem from documents released by the US justice department relating to Epstein and his links to the rich and powerful. Emails released appeared to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
One email, dated November 2010, appeared to be forwarded by the former duke to Epstein five minutes after it was sent by his then special adviser, Amir Patel. Another, seemingly sent on Christmas Eve 2010, included a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
In a statement, the CPS said: “We are in close contact with the Metropolitan police service and Thames Valley police regarding high-profile individuals. We remain ready to support any police investigations if needed.”
In November, Democrats on the US House oversight committee wrote to the former prince asking him to travel to Washington DC to testify before them about his relationship with Epstein.
Speaking on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader, urged Mountbatten-Windsor to give evidence in the US after his arrest. “I think it also makes it even more important that Prince Andrew agrees to go to give evidence to Congress on the investigations that they’re doing there,” she said.
Last October, amid growing anxiety within the royal household about the reputational risk to the monarchy caused by headlines concerning Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with Epstein, Buckingham Palace announced it would strip him of his royal titles. It was also announced the former duke would move out of the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s representatives have been approached for comment.
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