British police have arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, in connection with allegations tied to his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, authorities and media reported on Thursday.
Officers from Thames Valley Police detained the 66-year-old at his home, Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, on Thursday morning, his birthday, as part of an ongoing investigation into whether he passed confidential government documents to Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy.
Unmarked police vehicles and plain-clothes officers were seen at the property, and searches were also conducted at his former residence, Royal Lodge, within the Windsor estate, according to witnesses and reports.
Mountbatten-Windsor, once known as Prince Andrew, was later released from custody “under investigation” after being questioned for several hours, police confirmed. The status allows detectives to continue inquiries without charging him immediately.
The arrest is unprecedented in modern British royal history and stems from allegations that confidential documents relating to official UK government business were forwarded to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. The probe follows the release of millions of pages of evidence tied to Epstein by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Thames Valley Police said the investigation remains active but provided no further details on the ongoing inquiries. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing.
King Charles, who stripped his brother of his royal titles and honours last year amid growing controversy, issued a public statement expressing “deepest concern” about the developments and saying the law must take its course, reaffirming the royal family’s full cooperation with authorities.
The scandal has drawn international attention and fresh scrutiny of the former royal’s past associations with Epstein, as well as debate over accountability and privilege in British public life.