London | In a dramatic escalation of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, British police have carried out extensive searches of royal properties following the unprecedented arrest of King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The 66-year-old former prince was taken into custody by Thames Valley Police early Thursday morning—coincidentally on his birthday—on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest, which marks the first time a senior royal has been detained in modern British history, is tied to allegations that he shared highly confidential government documents with the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
After being questioned for over 10 hours, Andrew was released under investigation late Thursday evening. However, the legal and public relations storm surrounding the monarchy is only intensifying.
Following his arrest, a fleet of unmarked police cars and plain-clothed detectives descended upon Wood Farm, Andrew’s current residence on the King’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk. While the search at Sandringham has officially concluded, authorities confirmed on Friday that officers are still actively searching the Royal Lodge, his sprawling 30-room former mansion on the Windsor estate.
The investigation was triggered by the recent unsealing of millions of pages of documents by the US Justice Department regarding Epstein. These files reportedly contain emails showing that during his decade-long tenure as the UK’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment, Andrew forwarded sensitive government briefings to Epstein. The leaked documents allegedly include confidential assessments of investment opportunities in Afghanistan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Misconduct in public office is a severe common law offense in the UK that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The arrest has plunged the House of Windsor into one of its gravest crises since the abdication of King Edward VIII. King Charles, who previously stripped his brother of his royal titles and military affiliations to distance the monarchy from the Epstein fallout, responded swiftly to the development.
In a rare and deeply personal statement, the monarch expressed his “deepest concern” over the allegations. “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” King Charles declared, emphasizing that the authorities have the royal family’s full and wholehearted cooperation. “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.”
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding his association with Epstein and has maintained that he deeply regrets the friendship. The current probe into the leaked trade documents is entirely separate from previous civil allegations of sexual abuse brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, which he settled out of court in 2022 without admitting liability.
As the police continue combing through the Royal Lodge for evidence, the British public and lawmakers are demanding further transparency, with some calling for an independent parliamentary inquiry into the monarchy’s knowledge of the Epstein connections. For now, the King’s brother remains firmly under the microscope of the law.
