FORMER prince Andrew was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a trade envoy, as UK police investigations into allegations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files gathered pace.
The arrest of a royal family member is unprecedented in the UK's modern era, and within hours King Charles issued a rare personally signed statement insisting “the law must take its course”.
It was a new blow for the ousted prince, who was last year stripped of his titles and was marking his 66th birthday on Thursday in custody.
“I’m pleased ... he deserves that,” lawyer Emma Carter, 55, told AFP in London. “He’s been hiding behind his privileges... for too many years.”
Police said they were also searching two properties, with the BBC reporting one was Andrew’s former home, Royal Lodge, on the monarchy’s Windsor estate west of London.
The other was his residence since the start of this month on the king’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, where his arrest occurred, according to British media.
Widely published images showed a fleet of unmarked cars, believed to be police vehicles, arriving there early on Thursday.
“We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” Thames Valley Police said, without naming the suspect, as is common practice in the UK.
“The man remains in police custody at this time,” the force added.
Andrew’s ties to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have caused a years-long fall from grace.
His arrest follows new revelations last week that the ex-prince appeared to have sent potentially confidential documents during his time as a UK trade envoy.
In a November 2010 email seen by AFP, Andrew appeared to share with Epstein reports on several Asian countries following an official visit to the region.
The ex-royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also allegedly sent the American financier details of the trip — on which he was accompanied by Epstein’s business associates — along with investment opportunities months later.
Charles last year stripped his brother of his titles and ordered he leave his Windsor mansion — though he does remain eighth in the line of succession to the British throne.
In his statement, the king reiterated he had learned of the latest claims “with the deepest concern” and that a “full, fair and proper process” would be investigated “in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities”.
“In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation,” he added. “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
Charles last year ousted Andrew after one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, claimed in shocking detail in her posthumous memoirs that she had been trafficked to have sex with Andrew when she was a teenager.
The Giuffre family welcomed Andrew’s arrest on Thursday, saying “our broken hearts have been lifted at the news”, adding “he was "never a prince"”.
He has previously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein.
Andrew settled a US civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Giuffre without admitting liability.
He served as a British trade envoy for a decade from 2001.
Official guidance stipulates trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial or political information related to their official visits, the BBC has said.
Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Before news of Andrew’s arrest broke, prime minister Keir Starmer had said “nobody is above the law”.
The ex-prince is deeply unpopular with the British public, and many welcomed his arrest.
It was not immediately clear where Andrew had been taken. Under UK law, he can be held for 24 hours without charge, after which the police must apply to the courts for a custody extension.
At least nine UK police forces have confirmed they are assessing claims stemming from the Epstein files, many related to Andrew.
It follows the US justice department’s latest release of millions of files from its investigation into the US financier, who was awaiting trial for sex trafficking when he died in prison in 2019.
That has prompted high-profile figures, including former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, to urge police to probe dozens of flights dating back decades arriving at UK airports tied to Epstein, dubbed by media the “Lolita Express”.
London’s Metropolitan Police has also launched an investigation into the relationship between the UK’s former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and the disgraced financier.
(With inputs from agencies)
