Arrest confirmed by Thames Valley Police
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement: “We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
“The man remains in police custody at this time.”
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright added: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.
“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence.
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
Police said they would not be naming the arrested man, in line with national guidance, and reminded media that the case is now active.
Searches at Sandringham estate
Photographs published on Thursday showed unmarked police vehicles and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate shortly after 8am.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was reportedly arrested earlier this morning. He remains in custody.
Police are conducting searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
Allegations under review
Police have been assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with the billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.
Thames Valley Police previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew, and claims he shared sensitive information with the disgraced financier while acting as trade envoy.
This is the first time the former prince has been arrested.
Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
12:45
What we don’t know yet about Andrew’s arrest
There’s still a lot we don’t know about this morning’s development.
We know Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and that he is in custody – but we are still waiting for some significant details. They are:
- The specifics of the allegations being investigated by police
- What information prompted Thames Valley Police to arrest the former prince
- Where Andrew is currently being held
- Whether he has been interviewed under caution yet
14:00
Earlier this morning, unmarked police vehicles were seen arriving at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been living.
He was arrested by Thames Valley Police – but while we know they are carrying out searches in Norfolk and Berkshire, we do not know where Andrew was arrested.
Andrew’s alleged offence must pass several tests to be a crime
Misconduct in Public Office is a really complicated offence. It essentially boils down to an allegation that someone who was doing a job on behalf of the British public did something seriously wrong, knowing it to be wrong.
There are four “elements” or factors that police must focus on during their investigation so that prosecutors can later decide whether or not someone should be charged.
First, the police must establish whether the person they’re investigating was a “public officer” and the incident in question was plausibly part of those duties.
If that’s agreed, detectives will then look for evidence that the incident in question saw the suspect “wilfully” neglecting to perform their duty or wilfully misconducting themselves in some other way. That wordy definition has long been a source of legal debate.
The next question is whether the action they committed was so bad that it was “an abuse of the public’s trust”.
Lastly, if the evidence has passed those three tests, police need to examine whether the person under investigation acted “without reasonable excuse or justification”.
That final question is crucial. It’s a fundamental principle of criminal justice that someone suspected of wrongdoing is given an opportunity to put forward their side of the story – and that starts when the police come and knock on their door.
Royal business continues but Andrew risks overshadowing
While pressure has mounted over Andrew this week, King Charles and other senior royals have maintained a “business as usual” approach.
Some senior royals are scheduled to take part in engagements later today.
Yesterday, the King and Queen were in Barking and Dagenham where they met organisations providing support to the local community.
The day before, the Queen had a number of engagements in Bath.
Yesterday saw the Prince of Wales’s appearance on a Radio 1 panel discussion about mental health published – although that was recorded at the end of January.
Last week, he made an official trip to Saudi Arabia, but the attention throughout that was very much on Andrew back at home.
What’s clear is that the work of the wider Royal Family continues to be overshadowed by questions over the King’s younger brother – and today’s developments means that is only likely to continue.
15:18
Brown says he submitted additional information to police
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told BBC News he submitted a five-page letter to several UK police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, Sussex Police and Thames Valley Police, providing new and additional information from the Epstein files.
It comes in the wake of the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for misconduct in public office, which the BBC understands is in relation to activity during his time as a trade envoy.
In a statement, Brown says the new information is in addition to what he submitted to the forces last week, in which he “expressed my concern that we secure justice for trafficked girls and women”.
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing.
16:15
What we know about Andrew’s home at Sandringham
As we’ve been reporting, unmarked police arrived at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk this morning, where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested at around 08:00.
In recent weeks, the former prince had left Windsor to set up a temporary home in a property on the Sandringham Estate, while his future permanent residence at nearby Marsh Farm is being renovated.
The Sandringham Estate was bought as a private country retreat for the future Edward VII when he was Albert, Prince of Wales, in 1862, and has since been passed down from monarch to monarch.
It remains a country retreat for the Royal Family and is where they traditionally gather at Christmas.
It is understood Andrew is living temporarily at Wood Farm, a secluded property near the village of Wolferton, which his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, chose as his primary home when he retired from public life in 2017.
Today, Sandringham is a hive of police activity. That property, as well as his former home at Windsor Great Park, continues to be searched by police.
Andrew remains in custody but we still don’t know where the former prince is being held.
This story will be updated as more details become available
Source: BBC, The Guardian
Also read: Andrew and Epstein: the story that will not go away
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