King Charles: Police ‘have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation’
King Charles has said “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest of his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
In a statement, the monarch said:
double quotation markI have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. 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. 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.
Andrew, left, and Charles leave after the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London in September last year. Photograph: Joanna Chan/APShare
Updated at 13.50 CET
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What is the Royal Lodge and where is it?
Police have been searching the Royal Lodge estate, a few miles south of Windsor Castle, this morning.
It is a Grade II-listed building built originally in the mid-1600s before being developed significantly in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It became a royal accommodation in the early 1800s and had been used by Andrew since 2004, until he moved out earlier this month.
It was known the former prince would be moving out of Royal Lodge in the new year and so the development was not thought to be linked to the latest revelations in the Epstein papers.
Police vehicles parked outside Royal Lodge. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/ReutersShare
Updated at 17.52 CET
A fine art transportation company van and multiple police vehicles have now left the grounds of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former Berkshire residence.
Thames Valley Police have been searching the Royal Lodge estate, a few miles south of Windsor castle, since Thursday morning.
At around 4pm, a dark blue Gander and White van was seen leaving the outer gates of the Windsor Great Park, which surrounds the Royal Lodge estate, PA reported.
Gander and White describes itself as “one of the world’s leading fine art logistics companies, providing art storage, transport, installation and customs services”.
Two large police vans with tinted windows, each carrying several uniformed officers, were also seen leaving the property.
Police officers patrol near the Royal Lodge. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty ImagesShare
According to the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) website, misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
It describes the offence as “a common law offence that can be tried only on indictment” and “concerns serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held”.
The CPS guidance continues:
double quotation markThere must be a direct link between the misconduct and an abuse of those powers or responsibilities.
The Court of Appeal has made it clear that the offence should be strictly confined, and it can raise complex and sometimes sensitive issues.
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Updated at 17.32 CET
Which police forces are investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to the UK and why?
Sammy Gecsoyler
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday morning after years of mounting controversy over his relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Claims against the former prince have long been in the public domain. However, the recent release of the Epstein files has led to a number of UK police forces saying they are examining a variety of issues linked to Mountbatten-Windsor.
He has always denied claims of any wrongdoing.
Nine police forces are looking into Epstein’s links to UK, including those relating to Mountbatten-Windsor.
ShareThe day so far
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office by police investigating the former prince’s dealings with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He is expected to be interviewed under criminal caution by detectives over the allegations of misconduct in public office. Police will have to decide whether Mountbatten-Windsor should be detained overnight, and whether to charge him with a criminal offence, release him while their inquiries continue, or take no further action.
Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate were published on Thursday morning.
Prosecutors are yet to give advice to the Thames Valley police investigation that today led to the king’s brother being arrested for misconduct in public office. The crown prosecution service authorises criminal charges in England and Wales and a spokesperson confirmed it was yet to give advice to detectives.
King Charles expressed his “deepest concern” over the arrest of his younger brother but added that the “law must take its course” and police had his “full and wholehearted support and cooperation”.
King Charles was met with a mix of shouts and cheers while arriving at an engagement in the Strand area of central London, the PA news agency reported.
Virginia Giuffre’s family said in a statement that Andrew’s arrest showed that “no one is above the law”. They added: “On behalf of our sister, we extend our gratitude to the UK’s Thames Valley police in their investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.”
A statement from Thames Valley police said: “We have today 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.”
The arrest came as Mountbatten-Windsor celebrated his 66th birthday at home.
Police had been assessing allegations that the former prince shared sensitive information with Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.
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A Democrat member of the US House Oversight Committee, who has previously called for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to sit for a transcribed interview under oath in front of Congress, has said he hopes the arrest will “show that there will be accountability”.
Suhas Subramanyam said in a statement:
double quotation markHe appears repeatedly in the documents we have uncovered as having knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and is specifically named by victims as someone who engaged in wrongdoing.
Yet he has continued to ignore our calls to cooperate with the Oversight Committee’s investigation.
We hope today’s arrest will lead to answers and show that there will be accountability even if you hide, regardless of how rich and powerful you are.
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Vikram Dodd
Prosecutors are yet to give advice to the Thames Valley police investigation that today led to the king’s brother being arrested for misconduct in public office.
The crown prosecution service authorises criminal charges in England and Wales and a spokesperson confirmed it was yet to give advice to detectives.
ShareWhat could happen next?
Rajeev Syal
The longest the former prince can be held is 96 hours, but this would require extensions from senior police officers and a magistrates court. In most cases, suspects are held for 12 or 24 hours and are then either charged or released pending further investigation.
If taken to a police station, Andrew will probably be placed in a cell in a custody suite, where he will wait until his police interview. Police will be able to access computer equipment, files and photographs, and can carry out searches of any premises he owns or occupies, or any other premises he controls.
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Updated at 15.55 CET
King Charles was met with a mix of shouts and cheers while arriving at an engagement in the Strand area of central London, the PA news agency reported.
Several people crowding the streets let out cries of “ohh” as the king’s car pulled up.
As he entered the building, questions about Andrew’s arrest were shouted. He did not respond.
King Charles attends the first day of London Fashion Week at the Strand. Photograph: Jordan Peck/GC ImagesShare
Updated at 15.53 CET
Eluned Morgan, the first minister of Wales, said she was “shocked” by the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
She said: “I think we’ve all been shocked by what’s been happening and, clearly, now there’s been an arrest, and it’s in police hands, so I can’t comment further, but it’s a serious situation.
“But everybody should be treated the same.”
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The Prince and Princess of Wales were staying at Anmer Hall, their home on the Norfolk estate, at the time of the arrest, according to the Times.
Anmer Hall is about five miles from Mountbatten-Windsor’s Wood Farm residence.
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Pictures: Police activity ongoing at royal estates in Sandringham and Windsor
Police officers at the Sandringham estate. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The GuardianPolice officers at the entrance to the Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate. Photograph: Chris Radburn/ReutersPolice officers check vehicles at the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence in Windsor. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty ImagesA van carrying members of the police next to a gate outside Royal Lodge. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/ReutersShareWhat has Andrew been arrested for?Rajeev Syal
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He remains in custody – though his whereabouts are unclear – as police search addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
The arrest appears related to his conduct as a UK trade envoy and follows the disclosure of emails related to Epstein.
Among the files released by the US Department of Justice were documents that appeared to show the former prince forwarding sensitive government documents and commercial information to the convicted sex offender.
In 2010, he appears to have forwarded government reports from visits to Vietnam, Singapore and China to Epstein, according to the recently published files.
The documents also appeared to show that Andrew forwarded Epstein information on investment opportunities in gold and uranium in Afghanistan.
Andrew served as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011. Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial or political information about their official visits.
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein and rejected any suggestion he used his time as trade envoy to further his own interests.
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The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn described the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a “very serious development”.
The SNP MP said:
double quotation markIt underlines why it was a bad misjudgment for Keir Starmer to block Parliament from debating action against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as recently as October.
The former prince should have been stripped of his titles and roles as quickly as possible – it was a mistake for the Labour government to delay action.
Meanwhile, also in Scotland, the former first minister Humza Yousaf credited the victims of Jeffrey Epstein – including Virginia Giuffre – for bringing “scrutiny”.
Writing on X, Yousaf said:
double quotation markDue process matters but so does accountability. For far too long, wealth, titles and status have protected men.
It is down to the bravery of Epstein’s victims, like Virginia Giuffre, that there is some scrutiny on those who associated with him. Let’s hope there’s also justice.
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The King has carried on with his duties as monarch in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
Charles continued with his planned ambassadorial in-person audiences at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
He was pictured welcoming the ambassador of El Salvador Francisco Lima Mena as part of a series of audiences at the royal residence.
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The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is “seismic” and has left senior royals in “uncharted waters”, a royal commentator has told the Press Association.
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the royal family was facing a situation that it was “ill-equipped to navigate”.
He said:
double quotation markThe arrest of the eighth in line to the British throne is seismic.
Senior royals are now in uncharted waters that they are ill-equipped to navigate.
They will have to answer questions about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and be held accountable, something which, up until now, has been an alien concept for them.
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Updated at 15.41 CET
Responding to news of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, former prime minister Gordon Brown said:
double quotation markI have submitted a five-page memorandum to the Metropolitan, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and other relevant UK police constabularies.
This memorandum provides new and additional information to that which I submitted last week to the Met, Essex and Thames Valley police forces where I expressed my concern that we secure justice for trafficked girls and women.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is seen during the two-year anniversary event for the Homewards programme in Sheffield. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PAShare
The Scottish first minister John Swinney has spoken on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Speaking to media in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, he said:
double quotation markThe announcement in relation to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor obviously relates to a live case and I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment upon that.
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