Police continued their investigation on Friday into the former residence of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was detained on his 66th birthday for nearly 11 hours. His arrest was linked to allegations of misconduct in public office based on his associations with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. Following this turbulent day for the British royal family, Mountbatten-Windsor returned to his current residence on the Sandringham estate, approximately 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of London.
While the police wrapped up their search at Sandringham, they continued their examination of the Royal Lodge, Mountbatten-Windsor's previous 30-room home situated in the Windsor Castle grounds. Despite his release from custody on Thursday evening, the investigation remains ongoing, and he has not been charged or cleared of wrongdoing by Thames Valley Police, which oversees the area west of London.
This arrest is a culmination of years of allegations concerning Mountbatten-Windsor's connections to Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019. Central to the accusations is the claim that he shared sensitive trade information with Epstein while serving as a trade envoy for the United Kingdom. A release of emails by the U.S. Department of Justice last month appeared to indicate that Mountbatten-Windsor shared reports detailing official visits to countries such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore. One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded to Epstein just five minutes after Mountbatten-Windsor received it. Another email, sent weeks later, reportedly contained confidential information regarding investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.
In addition to the ongoing investigation by Thames Valley Police, other police forces in the UK are conducting their inquiries into the former prince's ties with Epstein. While Mountbatten-Windsor has continually denied any misconduct in relation to Epstein, he has not publicly addressed the latest allegations that emerged from the recently released Epstein files.
The arrest itself was notably swift, with police apprehending Mountbatten-Windsor at 8 a.m. on Thursday. As a historic event, it marks the first time a royal has been arrested since King Charles I four centuries ago—a pivotal incident that contributed to the English Civil War and ultimately led to the monarchy's temporary abolition.
Experts in criminal law have stated that proving misconduct in public office is notoriously challenging. Sean Caulfield, a criminal defense lawyer, emphasized that it must first be determined whether Mountbatten-Windsor held a position within the government that qualifies him as a public officer, as there is no definitive definition for this role. The Crown Prosecution Service will ultimately decide whether charges are warranted based on a two-stage test assessing the likelihood of conviction and the public interest.
Amidst these developments, the king has maintained that royal duties will proceed as usual. In a statement released Thursday, King Charles III remarked that the “law must take its course” but also noted that it would not be appropriate for him to comment further on the ongoing situation. The allegations currently being investigated do not pertain to those made by Virginia Giuffre, who had claimed that she was trafficked to the United Kingdom to engage in sexual activities with Mountbatten-Windsor when she was just 17 years old. Unfortunately, Giuffre passed away last year.
The arrest and subsequent inquiry have stirred significant reactions, including from family members of Giuffre. Her sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, expressed elation at the news of the arrest but quickly grappled with the absence of the ability to share in that sentiment with Giuffre, emphasizing a concern for the legacy of Giuffre’s efforts for justice.
