UK Royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, is spending his 66th birthday in police custody

The former Duke of York is in custody at an unknown location after being held on suspicion of misconduct in public office

Thames Valley Police arrived at Wood Farm in Sandringham at 8am on Thursday to search of Andrew’s new home, with a simultaneous searching of his former home, Royal Lodge a property in Windsor

Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, understood to be in relation to reports he may have passed sensitive information to Epstein in his role as a UK trade envoy

Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown said he has sent new and ‘additional’ information – ‘a five-page memorandum’ to the relevant UK authorities in the wake of the arrest

King Charles III, threw his weight behind police inquiry into his brother’s conduct, same as Prince William and Princess Kate

The family of Virginia Giuffre’s -one of the women who accused the former royal of abuse hailed his arrest as a ‘monumental moment’ in her ‘pursuit for justice’

If convicted for misconduct in public office as alleged, the disgraced royal facing will be a sentence of life in prison

British Royal, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is seen leaving the Norfolk police station after his arrest on the morning of his 66th birthday by Thames Valley Police at his new home in Sandringham. The younger brother of King Charles is held on suspicion of misconduct in public office

UK police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, on Thursday morning at his new home on the Sandringham estate, swooped on the Sandringham estate, setting in motion a process that could see the disgraced royal facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
However, Thames Valley Police later in the day issued a statement that ‘Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released under investigation following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.’
Around 8 am UK time on Thursday a convoy of six vehicles carrying plain-clothed officers arrived at Andrew’s new home at Wood Farm, after he was evicted from Royal Lodge over his links to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Police swooped on the Sandringham estate this morning to arrest Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office, understood to be in relation to reports he may have passed sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein in his role as a UK trade envoy

Officers from Thames Valley Police detained the former prince and took him into custody on what is Andrew’s 66th birthday. He was reportedly, arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, understood to be in relation to reports he may have passed sensitive information to Epstein in his role as a UK trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew. 
Following the arrest which is without precedent in the history of the modern royal family, the former Duke of York, it is expected, will be interviewed by police today.
It is understood neither the King nor Buckingham Palace was informed in advance of about the imminent arrest of the banished royal.

A convoy of cars was seen heading towards Wood Farm in Sandringham shortly before it was revealed that Andrew had been arrested on the morning of his 66th birthday

Misconduct in public office is classed as one of the most serious offenses in British law, carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
But Andrew will only face this if he is charged, tried and convicted in a court of law. 
Due to the seriousness of the offense, it is classed as indictable only, meaning any trial will take place at a Crown Court. 
Being a member of the royal family does not offer Andrew any protection from prosecution or jail. As the monarch, King Charles III is the only royal with sovereign immunity. 

Recent docs released in the case against Jeffrey Epstein, seen [right], taking a stroll with Andrew [left], around New York’s Central Park, drag the disgraced royal deeper into the hubris of the serial pedophile who died in custody while awaiting charges

Jeffrey Epstein’s former sex slave Virginia Roberts, [center, with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell’s London townhouse in 2001], alleges that at the age of 17, she was intimate with Prince Andrew at Maxwell’s London home 

A convoy of police has arrived to search Royal Lodge in Windsor as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has spends his 66th birthday in police custody following his arrest after a raid on his new home, the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Thursday morning.
King Charles III on learning that his younger brother was to be arrested by officers from Thames Valley Police, issued a statement that ‘the law must take its course’ after expressing his ‘deepest concern’ after his younger brother was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The King revealed that the police will have his ‘wholehearted support and co-operation’.
Calling for a ‘full, fair and proper process’, the King added: ‘My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all’.

A group of police officers in plain clothes arrive at Wood Farm Thursday morning

Police previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, and claims he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as envoy.
Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, Andrew’s new home, was searched by Thames Valley Police, while enforcement also searched erstwhile Duke’s his former official residence, Royal Lodge in Windsor, while the he is spending his birthday and is in custody at a secret location.
According to UK media reports, the King was not informed in advance of the operation by detectives.

Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, [photo], were named by an exotic dancer, alleging they had a threesome in 2006, in a legal letter dated March 11, 2006, part of the latest batch of Epstein docs released by DOJ

A convoy of three police officers arrive to help with the search of Royal Lodge, Windsor, former home of then Duke of York, Prince Andrew

Charles said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace at Midday: ‘I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.
‘What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is 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.
‘Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.
‘As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all’.

Brothers Prince Andrew, [left], and King Charles III at the Requiem Mass for the Duchess of Kent in, Sept. 2025. Charles stripped Andrew of his title in the wake of the Epstein scandal, evicted him from his royal residence and has shown support for his being probed and arrest by police

For the past ten days detectives have been probing his conduct as a trade envoy for the UK after emails in the Epstein Files suggested he shared confidential information with his pedophile friend including reports of his official visits and potential investment opportunities.
The former Prince Andrew, who was stripped off his titles over his links to Epstein last year, has vehemently denied wrongdoing.  The former prince insisted he never witnessed or suspected any of the behavior of which Epstein is accused.
He has not commented publicly on these more recent allegations of misconduct in public office.

The statement issued by the King after his brother’s arrest expresses his support fore police action, adding that he and the Royal Family would co-operate fully

Thames Valley Police previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew, and claims he shared sensitive information with the pedophile while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
Searches are being carried out at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, the force said.
Emails released by the US Department Of Justice 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 Andrew 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.

Thames Valley Police conducted simultaneous searching of Andrew’s former home in Berkshire, Royal Lodge,Windsor on Thursday morning

Andrew had been staying at Sandringham after being evicted by his older brother from Royal Lodge in Windsor following the Epstein. The King has said that hiss ready to help the police with their inquiries.
The arrest comes on the heels of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stating that ‘nobody is above the law’ in the UK, as nine UK law enforcement agencies assess whether to launch investigations into Epstein-related allegations including human trafficking and sexual assault. 
The PM also signaled that he would not stand in the way of MPs wanting to have a public Parliamentary debate into the Andrew and his links with Epstein.
Andrew is yet to interviewed, as detectives assess a slew of allegations related to sex trafficking and misconduct in public office.

Andrew is facing questions from police over emails suggesting he shared private information from his role as a UK trade envoy with the American financier

The agencies conducting individual probes on the for Duke include The Metropolitan Police, who commenced ‘initial inquiries’ into allegations relating to close protection officers assigned to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. However, most of the other UK police forces are looking into Epstein’s use of various UK airports, which were referenced in flight logs in the files, which include:
Allegations that royal protection officers ‘turned a blind eye’ during visits to Epstein’s private island and separate claims Peter Mandelson passed sensitive information.
Surrey Police, probing an allegation of human trafficking and sexual assault in Virginia Water, Surrey, between 1994 and 1996, purportedly by Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Thames Valley Police, assessing claims that Epstein sent a young woman to the UK for a sexual encounter with Andrew at Royal Lodge in 2010.
Essex Police assessing information  which suggests Epstein trafficked sex victims to the UK through Stansted Airport.
Bedfordshire Police probing Epstein’s use of London Luton Airport.
Police Scotland probing Epstein’s use of Edinburgh Airport.
West Midlands Police probing Epstein’s use of Birmingham Airport.
Wiltshire Police reviewing its records and supporting the Met Police in its investigation.
Norfolk Constabulary reviewing Epstein files, but have not received specific allegations.
It comes after a former officer claimed that ‘certain members’ of the Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP) command may have witnessed abuse at Little St James. 
Scotland Yard is examining claims that royal protection officers ‘turned a blind eye’ during visits to Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean. 
Virginia Giuffre, the most vociferous accuser of Prince Andrew, who died by suicide last year, claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including on Little St James in the early 2000s.
Andrew has always denied those allegations.
Multiple survivors have also alleged they were trafficked to and abused on the island which Epstein purchased in the US Virgin Islands in 1998.
Surrey Police seek information about allegations contained in a redacted report relating to the Epstein files, released by the US DOJ in December – alleging human trafficking and sexual assault that happened in Virginia Water between 1994 and 1996. Claims by an alleged victim of being drugged at night and driven to ‘pedophile ring parties’ in the mid 1990s; of being hit by a dark blue car ‘driven by Prince Andrew’, causing injuries to the ribs, hip and leg.
With multiple police forces in the UK launching independent probes related to the Epstein scandal, UK’s National Crime Agency has announced support for UK police forces to ‘enable a full and independent assessment of the information released’.