Gambiaj.com – (Thames Valley, United Kingdom) – Police in the United Kingdom have arrested Prince Andrew as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office, marking an unprecedented development for the modern British Royal Family.
Thames Valley Police announced Thursday that it had opened an investigation into the offense and detained “a man in his sixties from Norfolk.” Although officers did not officially name the suspect, British media widely identified him as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the brother of King Charles III.
The arrest follows allegations that the former Duke of York shared confidential commercial information and government documents with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose relationships with powerful figures sparked global controversy.
The allegations emerged after the U.S. Department of Justice released more than three million documents from the Epstein case files, representing roughly half of the material it is legally required by Congress to make public.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing. However, his links to Epstein have drawn scrutiny for years, including a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to him as a teenager by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The prince settled the case out of court in 2022 in a multi-million-dollar agreement without admitting liability.
King Charles’s Reaction: ‘The Law Must Take Its Course.’
In a statement issued shortly after the arrest, King Charles III said he was deeply concerned and stressed that the investigation must proceed without interference.
“The law must take its course,” the monarch said, pledging the Royal Family’s “full and wholehearted support and co-operation” with authorities. He added that it would be inappropriate to comment further while the investigation continues.
The arrest is widely regarded as unprecedented in modern royal history. While royal family members have faced controversies and legal disputes, arrests of senior royals in contemporary times are virtually unheard of.
Historical comparisons date back centuries, including the execution of King Charles I in 1649 following England’s civil war.
Authorities have not disclosed the specific evidence that led to Thursday’s arrest, nor confirmed where Prince Andrew is being held. Under the law in England and Wales, suspects can typically be detained for up to 24 hours before being charged or released, with detention extendable to 96 hours in serious cases.
The investigation is expected to intensify scrutiny on both the prince and the monarchy, which has faced sustained reputational challenges linked to his association with Epstein.
