National Police Chiefs’ Council briefed Home Office
Thames Valley Police denied briefing the Home Office before the arrest, but issued a statement from the National Police Chiefs’ Council to clarify that the council did so.
The statement read: “In line with routine practice, the National Police Chiefs’ Council alerted operational colleagues within the Home Office of the arrest. This gave 30 minutes’ notice before Thames Valley Police made the arrest.”
It is also understood neither the King nor Buckingham Palace was informed before the arrest.
Jane Dalton20 February 2026 08:00
Monarchy must be more transparent in future, Davey says
Political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Ed Davey has said parliament should ensure the monarchy is more transparent going forward in order to avoid a future crisis.
Asked if parliament should take action following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the Liberal Democrat leader said: “I think it’s very important the police allowed to do their work…separate from parliament.
“I think more broadly going forward, we do need to see more transparency, and parliament has a really important role to play.
“I think we need to help the monarchy get over this, it’s really important part of our of our country. And the way that that we will go forward, is having more transparency over how they operate.”
Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:54
Trump calls Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest ‘so bad for the royal family’
Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:45
Former police chief explains procedure Andrew would have underwent
A former police chief has given some insight into how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may have been treated on Thursday following his arrest.
Andy Trotter, former deputy chief constable at British Transport Police, said Thames Valley Police would have been “absolutely clear” that he will be treated the same as anybody else.
“No better, no worse than anyone else,” he told Sky News.
“He would come through the exact same procedure as search, photographs, DNA, fingerprints, etc and obviously [offered a] lawyer, if they wanted to, to attend for any interview that might follow.
“I think the more unusual the case, the more what you’ve got to stick to the regular procedures so that there’s no difference from the way this person has been treated from any other.”
Athena Stavrou20 February 2026 07:36
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor seen returning after leaving police custody
(Getty Images)
A car carrying Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrives at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Thursday evening (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) (PA Wire)
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 07:30
Cabinet Office could hand over documents related to Andrew, The Times reports
The Times reports that officials in Whitehall could look through government records for documents related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as a trade envoy as part of the ongoing police investigation.
Sources told The Times that Whitehall would “fully cooperate” with detectives investigating.
Dan Haygarth20 February 2026 07:25
US officials say now is the time to act on Epstein investigation
Jane Dalton20 February 2026 07:00
Police continue searches after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor released
Detectives will continue their searches of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home in Berkshire following his release from custody after he was arrested on suspicion of alleged misconduct in public office.
He was held on Thursday morning following allegations made against him after the release of files related to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested, was held in custody for around 11 hours before being released under investigation by Thames Valley Police.
Thames Valley Police said searches at a property in Norfolk – Andrew’s home on the Sandringham Estate – have now concluded.But the force said that the operation they were carrying out at a Berkshire address, his former residence, Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, will continue.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 06:30
Opinion: Scandal disgrace will rattle royal family as never before
The King is calculating that however bad the details might be, placing the former prince in the category of outcast will insulate him and his heirs from the fallout and allow the succession to continue, writes Anne McElvoy:
Jane Dalton20 February 2026 06:00
Virginia Giuffre’s family ‘celebrated’ after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrestVirginia Giuffre’s family ‘celebrated’ after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 February 2026 05:57