Police open to probing sexual misconduct claim against Andrew

POLICE investigating former prince Andrew said on Friday they are also open to probing a sexual misconduct claim against King Charles’s brother.

Andrew, the second of the late Queen Elizabeth’s three sons, was arrested in mid-February after new revelations linked to his ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Detectives at Thames Valley Police said they had been in contact with the lawyer of a potential victim after reports that a woman was brought to Windsor, north of London, in 2010 “for sexual purposes”.

The force is reportedly concerned the public believes investigators are only looking into accusations of misconduct in public office involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Police have been examining allegations that Andrew shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as UK trade envoy.

The force said its investigation was “examining a number of aspects of alleged misconduct following the release of files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act in the United States”.

Alongside the investigation into alleged misconduct in public office, police said “the assessment of reports that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes is ongoing”.

“We have engaged with the woman's legal representative to confirm that, should she wish to report this to police, it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for anonymity,” the statement added.

Police also repeated their appeal for anyone with relevant information to come forward.

After his arrest in February, Mountbatten-Windsor was questioned for hours at a police station on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his role as UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged, but remains under police caution.

He was stripped of his royal titles in October by the king following growing controversy over his links to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

He has also left Royal Lodge in Windsor, north of London, and moved to the king’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

(With inputs from agencies)