Former Prince Andrew Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office
– Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke of York, was arrested today on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Thames Valley Police confirmed. The arrest, which occurred on his 66th birthday, stems from allegations that he leaked confidential documents to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The arrest marks the first time a senior royal has been taken into custody in modern history. Police executed searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk as part of the investigation, according to a statement released by Thames Valley Police. Mountbatten-Windsor remains in police custody.
The allegations center around Mountbatten-Windsor’s time serving as the UK’s trade envoy and claims he shared sensitive information with Epstein. The claims surfaced in the latest release of documents related to the Epstein case, prompting a review by Thames Valley Police. The force had previously been reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor.
Misconduct in public office is a common law offense in the United Kingdom, carrying a potential sentence of life imprisonment. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the offense involves “serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held,” and requires a “direct link between the misconduct and the abuse of those powers or responsibilities.”
Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that Mountbatten-Windsor could be held by police for up to 96 hours, pending multiple extensions approved by a magistrates’ court. He described the conditions of custody as basic, consisting of “a bed and a toilet” within a police custody suite.
News of the arrest comes as images circulated online appearing to show unmarked police vehicles and plain-clothed officers outside Wood Farm, Mountbatten-Windsor’s residence on the King’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Police were also seen at Royal Lodge, his former residence on the Windsor estate.
King Charles III has responded to the arrest, stating that “law must take its course.”
The CPS defines misconduct in public office as requiring a public officer to wilfully neglect their duty or misconduct themselves to a degree that abuses public trust, without reasonable excuse. The Court of Appeal has stipulated that the offense should be strictly confined, providing guidance for prosecutors applying the Code for Crown Prosecutors in such cases.
