The family of Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew, have expressed relief following the former prince’s arrest on Thursday, . Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he is now publicly known, was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, had accused Mountbatten-Windsor of assault on multiple occasions when she was a teenager. She alleged that Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, facilitated these encounters. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for child sex trafficking offences.
“At last, today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty,” Giuffre’s siblings, Sky and Amanda Roberts, and Danny and Lanette Wilson, said in a statement. “On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the U.K.’s Thames Valley Police for their investigation, and the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
The arrest comes after Thames Valley Police confirmed earlier this month that it was assessing claims against Mountbatten-Windsor that emerged in recent U.S. Justice Department releases of Epstein-related files. The police stated on Thursday that a man in his sixties from Norfolk was taken into custody and is being held for questioning.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied Giuffre’s allegations. In 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit in New York detailing the alleged assaults, claiming they were orchestrated by Epstein. A settlement was reached in 2022, reportedly worth around £12 million, though this did not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.
The current investigation is not directly linked to Giuffre’s allegations, but rather focuses on claims that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. Specifics of these claims remain undisclosed.
King Charles III has issued a statement expressing his “deepest concern” regarding the allegations. Buckingham Palace stated that the King and the royal family will fully cooperate with the police investigation. “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,” the palace statement read.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles by King Charles in 2022. He has since moved to the King’s estate in Norfolk, having been asked to vacate his previous residence near Windsor Castle.
The arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal, which has implicated numerous high-profile individuals. Giuffre’s case brought international attention to Epstein’s alleged trafficking network and the abuse of power dynamics involved. Her memoir, Nobody’s Girl, published shortly before her death, detailed her experiences and sought to provide context to her long-fought battle for justice.
The Thames Valley Police investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not provided a timeline for its completion. The arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor underscores the continued scrutiny surrounding the Epstein case and its far-reaching consequences for individuals and institutions alike.
