What To Know
- The former Prince Andrew has been arrested in the United Kingdom.
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been detained by authorities on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
- The news coincides with the recent release of the Epstein files.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known to the public as Prince Andrew, has been arrested in the U.K.
The son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and brother to King Charles III, Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into police custody on Thursday, February 19, according to the BBC, which reported that the Thames Valley police had arrested a man in his 60s for suspicion of misconduct in public office. Searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk are currently underway.
“We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance,” a statement from the Thames Police shared by the BBC reads. “Please also remember that this case is now active, so care should be taken with any publication to avoid being in contempt of court.”
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright stated. “It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence.”
Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool / Getty Images
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” Wright concluded in the statement.
The arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor unfolded on the former prince’s birthday as he turned 66 years old on February 19, 2026. Per the BBC’s special correspondent Lucy Manning, Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest comes on the heels of recent leaks connecting the former prince to the Epstein files.
Allegations of misconduct while in public office, as well as allegations that a second woman was sent to the U.K. for a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor by Jeffrey Epstein, have reportedly been a focus of authorities. At this time, though, the former prince’s arrest is only tied to the misconduct in public office allegation.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles in late 2025, but is currently eighth in the line of succession to the British Throne. The former prince was memorably portrayed onscreen in several variations on Netflix‘s award-winning drama The Crown.
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
