Former British Prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to the British broadcaster BBC.
The former prince has been repeatedly criticised for his ties to American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor is suspected of misconduct in public office. Details are lacking, but there have been allegations that he passed information to Epstein while serving as a trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police confirmed that they had arrested a man in his sixties, without naming him. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor turns 66 today, Thursday. "The man is currently in police custody," they said. An investigation has been launched.
"We understand there is a lot of public interest in this case and we will provide updates at the appropriate time," said Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright. The police will not be holding a press conference, they added.
The police also said they had carried out searches in Norfolk, in the east of England, and in Berkshire, west of London. The BBC reports seeing police cars near Wood Farm Cottage in Sandringham, Norfolk, where Andrew has recently been living.
Picture taken at an undisclosed location and released on 9 August 2021 by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York shows (L-R) Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell posing for a photo. © Southern District of New York (SDNY) / AFP
He previously left the Royal Lodge in Windsor. According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, eight officers arrived in Sandringham on Thursday morning. Photos circulating online show the officers in plain clothes.
Mountbatten-Windsor has been under fire for years because of his friendship with the now deceased Epstein. The US Department of Justice recently released new Epstein files, including photos of Mountbatten-Windsor on his hands and knees over a woman.
Thames Valley Police, west of London, are investigating allegations that a woman was sent to Britain by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor. The encounter is said to have taken place in 2010 at Royal Lodge.
The former prince denies any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre accused him of having sex with her when she was 17 years old. She claims she received $15,000 from Epstein for this. Giuffre and Mountbatten-Windsor reached a multi-million dollar settlement in 2022. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025.
