Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Searches are being carried out at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, Thames Valley Police said.
Here is the statement in full:
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.
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.’
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested.
The police raid follows emails released by the US Department of Justice that appeared to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
One email, dated November 2010, appeared to be forwarded by Mountbatten-Windsor five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser Amir Patel.
Another, on Christmas Eve 2010, appeared to send Epstein a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province, Afghanistan.
-
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
-
Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate just after 8am were published on Thursday.
-
A statement from Thames Valley police said: “We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his 60s 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.”
-
The arrest came as Mountbatten-Windsor celebrated his 66th birthday at home.
-
Police had been assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly known as Prince Andrew – shared sensitive information with the billionaire child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.
-
Oliver Wright, Thames Valley Police’s assistant chief constable, said: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest was carried out as he was celebrating his 66th birthday.
The arrest came after pictures circulated online appearing to show unmarked police cars attending Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, with plainclothes officers appearing to gather outside his home.
Here are some of the first pictures that show police arriving at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Wood Farm residence, on the Royal Family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Police can be seen talking after turning up in unmarked police cars.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Searches are being carried out at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, Thames Valley Police said.
Here is the statement in full:
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.
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.’
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate just after 8am were published on Thursday. A statement from Thames Valley police said: “We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his 60s 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.”
Police have been assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly known as Prince Andrew – shared sensitive information with the billionaire child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theguardian.com
