Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III and a stunning development for the British monarchy, was arrested today. The arrest comes amid a high-stakes investigation by Thames Valley Police into allegations of wrongdoing in public office over newly unsealed US Justice Department files related to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The Arrest at Sandringham
Today, six unmarked police cars and approximately eight plain-clothes officers arrived at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who had moved to the estate earlier this month after leaving Royal Lodge, was taken into custody shortly after 2:00 PM local time.
Although UK police generally do not identify suspects who are being investigated, Thames Valley Police confirmed they arrested a "man in his sixties" as part of a continuing investigation into allegations of misconduct. Several major news outlets, the BBC and Reuters among them, have confirmed that the individual from whom they report is actually the former Duke of York.
Trade Reports and Confidential Data Underlying the Accusations
The arrest in this case is, of course, centered around allegations that came from more than 3 million pages of U.S. Justice Department documents published in January 2026. The investigation is focusing on:
- Sensitive Trade Data: Emails dated 2010 paint clear-cut pictures: Andrew's emails from his post as Britain's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment suggest during the period Andrew might have forwarded government reports and itineraries to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Office Misconduct: It’s unclear whether the exchanges broke the Official Secrets Act in some way or used his previous diplomatic status as a vector on what amounted to espionage.
- The "Invisible Man" Emails: New correspondence hidden in the files includes calls branded "The Duke" and "The Invisible Man," which investigators believe were used by Andrew to have private conversations about company reorganization (including Royal Bank of Scotland) with Epstein.
Palace and the King’s stance
The arrest follows nearly three months since King Charles III made the “nuclear option” to formally remove all of his brother’s remaining royal titles and have him identify as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Buckingham Palace made a short statement Thursday afternoon that it "no longer represented the former Prince" and continued that the King was concentrating on his constitutional responsibilities.
But sources familiar with the Crown say King Charles is “deeply saddened,” but “one who remains the same as he always has been: no man is above the law.” Prince William has issued statements of "profound concern" regarding the ongoing revelations.
What Happens Next?
As of Thursday evening, Mountbatten-Windsor has been in police custody for police interrogation. He has denied all blame for Jeffrey Epstein at all times, claiming he “regrets” the friendship, but maintaining that he was a mere onlooker on the case and the person “not a participant in any illegal activities.” If the former royal was charged criminally with misconduct in public office — a common law offense in the UK the former royal could likely be sentenced to substantial prison time, as the offense itself carries a life sentence despite being rare, according to legal experts.
