King Charles III has addressed the arrest of his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the 77-year-old royal said. “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.”
He continued: “In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
Thames Valley Police in a statement early Thursday confirmed it had arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk in eastern England, but stopped short of identifying the former royal, as is standard practice under British law.
When asked whether Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested, Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright responded with a statement: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office. We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
Wright added that officers were searching a pair of addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. Mountbatten-Windsor lived in Windsor’s Royal Lodge in Berkshire until earlier this month, while his new residence, Wood Farm, is on the Sandringham Estate is in Norfolk.
Photos circulating online appear to show unmarked police cruisers parked at the latter property on Thursday, with plainclothes officers gathering outside.
The arrest, an unprecedented move and stunning blow to the monarchy, comes after authorities earlier this month said they were investigating claims that Andrew sent confidential trade reports to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2010, when he was serving as Britain’s special envoy for international trade.
The probe was sparked by correspondence between Andrew and the disgraced financier among the millions of pages of documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein that were released last month.
One of their emails apparently shows Mountbatten-Windsor sharing with Epstein a report from his special adviser about a recent visit to Southeast Asia.
While the ex-prince has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, he has been dogged for more than a decade by their apparent relationship. In 2011, the late Virginia Giuffre alleged that she had been trafficked by Epstein and was forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17.
His ties to the disgraced financier again returned to the headlines following the release of Giuffre’s memoir, published six months after her death by suicide. The renewed allegations resulted in King Charles stripping his brother of his royal titles, including that of prince, and evicting him from his royal residence.
Epstein died by suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
With News Wire Services
