The Epstein scandal returns to the center: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is arrested in the UK
The arrest was officially confirmed by the Thames Valley Police, the jurisdiction responsible for Windsor, where the Duke of York resided until recently.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Archive).
British police on Thursday arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, in an unprecedented twist that again shakes the British monarchy and revives its links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The arrest was officially confirmed by Thames Valley Police, the jurisdiction responsible for Windsor, where the Duke of York resided until recently. In a statement, the police force said it arrested a man in his 60s in Norfolk County as part of an investigation opened following a "thorough assessment" of complaints of alleged misconduct in public office. Authorities added that the suspect remains in custody while searches are being conducted at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk.
According to the police investigation, the allegations date back to the period when Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor served as the United Kingdom's special envoy for international trade between 2001 and 2011. According to information assessed by the authorities and cited by the BBC, the former member of the royal family would have allegedly shared confidential documents or information with Epstein, which could constitute a serious violation of the rules of confidentiality governing such public positions.
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The BBC reported that the arrest came on the same day that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor turns 66, and that the arrest marks a significant development in investigations related to the U.S. financier's files and connections. Correspondents of the network noted that the police consider this case as a possible criminal offense linked to the misuse of official information.
For its part, the Thames Valley police stressed that the investigation is still ongoing and that it will not disclose further details at this time to protect the integrity of the judicial process. Deputy police chief Oliver Wright said authorities are working with their institutional partners to shed light on the alleged crime, amid high public interest.
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Analysts point out that the arrest of the monarch's brother constitutes an extraordinary and unprecedented event in modern U.K. history, with one of the most prominent royals facing a formal criminal investigation. The evolution of the case could have both legal and institutional implications for the British monarchy, at a time of particular public scrutiny over the accountability and transparency of its historical figures.
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