Royal Family Crisis: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested in Epstein-Related Investigation

Police were searching the former home of King Charles III’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, on Friday, following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his close relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The arrest centers on allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew until his titles and honors were stripped by his brother in October, shared confidential trade information with Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019.

After approximately 11 hours in custody, Mountbatten-Windsor was released without charges but remains under investigation. The crisis represents one of the gravest challenges to the British monarchy in modern times, comparable to King Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936 and Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

Officers from Thames Valley Police detained Mountbatten-Windsor at 8 a.m. Thursday at the king’s private retreat in Sandringham, where he now resides. The arrest follows escalating allegations in the wake of millions of pages of Epstein-related files released by the U.S. Justice Department last month.

While many recent allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor have centered on sexual impropriety, specifically that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with the then-prince, his arrest specifically concerns suspected misconduct in public office.

The Crown Prosecution Service defines this offense as the “serious willful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held.” Thames Valley Police had previously announced they were “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010, when he served as Britain’s special envoy for international trade.

Emails released in the Epstein files appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore. One dated November 2010 was apparently forwarded by him just five minutes after he received it. Another email weeks later allegedly shows him sending Epstein confidential information on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.

Multiple police forces across the UK are conducting their own investigations into Mountbatten-Windsor’s Epstein connections.

While misconduct in public office technically carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, legal experts say a shorter term would be more likely if convicted. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any impropriety but has not commented on the most recent allegations.

Legal experts note that proving misconduct in a public office is notoriously difficult. “Firstly, it must be determined if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was in a role within government that constitutes the title of public officer,” explained Sean Caulfield, a criminal defense lawyer at Hodge Jones & Allen. “There is no standard definition to clearly draw on.”

In recent years, prison officers have been prosecuted for this offense after having inappropriate relationships with inmates, as have police officers who leaked information.

Following his arrest, police exercised their power to search Mountbatten-Windsor’s properties and question him. After his release, he was photographed slouched in the back of a vehicle leaving Aylsham police station. During detention, he likely had a mugshot taken before being placed in a small cell ahead of formal police questioning. It’s unknown whether he responded to questions or simply answered “no comment,” as is his legal right.

Searches were conducted at addresses in Berkshire, west of London, and Norfolk, northeast of the capital. Windsor Castle, where Mountbatten-Windsor lived until earlier this month, is in Berkshire, while Sandringham is in Norfolk. Police confirmed they had finished searching his home but were still examining Royal Lodge, his former 30-room residence near Windsor Castle.

The Crown Prosecution Service will ultimately decide whether to charge him. Andrew Gilmore, a partner at Grosvenor Law, explained that prosecutors will apply the two-stage “Code for Crown Prosecutors” test: “That test is to determine whether there is a more realistic prospect of a conviction than not based on the evidence and whether the matter is in the public interest. If these two tests are met, then the matter will be charged and proceed to court.”

While not entirely unexpected given ongoing police investigations, the arrest represents a momentous development in modern monarchy history. Mountbatten-Windsor, who was second in line to the throne at birth, remains eighth in the line of succession. He could voluntarily abdicate his position, or a law could be passed to remove him.

King Charles I, nearly 400 years ago, was the last major royal to be arrested—an event that triggered civil war, his beheading, and the temporary abolition of the monarchy.

Following Thursday’s arrest, King Charles III emphasized that the law must take its course, further distancing the royal family from his brother. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter,” the king said in a statement. “My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”

Both the king and Queen Camilla faced questions about Mountbatten-Windsor at their respective London events but did not respond. Mountbatten-Windsor’s former wife, Sarah Ferguson, has yet to comment and has faced her own allegations regarding dealings with Epstein.