The police of the United Kingdom have arrested this morning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew and brother of King Charles III, at his residence on the Sandringham Estate in England, reported the BBC and confirmed by official sources.
The arrest occurs within the framework of an investigation for suspicion of misconduct in public office, following the dissemination of documents related to the case of the American financier Jeffrey Epstein, convicted of sex offenses and deceased in 2019. British authorities are examining whether the former member of the royal family may have shared confidential information from his official work as the UK's trade envoy with Epstein.
So far, Thames Valley Police, in charge of the matter, has limited itself to confirming the arrest and has not provided further details on the specific charges. Former US President Donald Trump was among those responsible for recently declassifying Justice Department files related to Epstein, which has intensified scrutiny in several jurisdictions.
Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Epstein and had already been removed from public duties and stripped of his royal titles by King Charles III after years of controversies over his involvement in the case. More information is expected to be released in the coming hours and the specific accusations he faces will be clarified.