The previous Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested Thursday for suspected misconduct in public workplace after revelations within the Epstein recordsdata. King Charles III’s youthful brother was arrested on his 66th birthday, about two weeks after recordsdata launched by the U.S. Division of Justice prompted an anti-royal group to name for police to analyze paperwork indicating that Andrew shared confidential authorities data with the late American intercourse offender when the royal labored as an British commerce envoy.
The report of Andrew’s arrest — on his 66th birthday — got here after a number of police automobiles have been seen arriving Thursday morning at his new residence on Charles’ Sandringham property within the japanese English county of Norfolk.
Shortly after 8 a.m. native time (3 a.m. Japanese) six unmarked police automobiles have been seen arriving at Wooden Farm on King Charles’ Sandringham property in Norfolk, japanese England, the place Mountbatten-Windsor just lately took up residence.
The Thames Valley Police power confirmed simply over every week in the past that it was assessing claims towards Mountbatten-Windsor that emerged within the newest launch of Epstein recordsdata launched by the Justice Division.
In a assertion on Thursday, the Thames Valley Police confirmed that, “as a part of the investigation, we have now at the moment (19/2) arrested a person in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace and are finishing up searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.” It mentioned the person, who it didn’t title in keeping with police procedures, “stays in police custody presently.”
In an interview earlier Thursday with CBS Information’ companion community BBC Information, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned, “no one is above legislation” when he was requested about Mountbatten-Windsor.
“I believe that is a matter for the police, they’ll conduct their very own investigations, however one of many core rules in our system is that everyone is equal beneath the legislation and no one is above the legislation,” Starmer mentioned.
Final week, Buckingham Palace mentioned in a press release on behalf of the king that the royal household would cooperate if police got here asking questions on Mountbatten-Windsor.
“The King has made clear, in phrases and thru unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which proceed to come back to mild in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace mentioned in a press release. “Whereas the particular claims in query are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to deal with, if we’re approached by Thames Valley Police we stand able to assist them as you’d count on.”
CBS Information had sought remark from Mountbatten-Windsor’s representatives repeatedly because the Epstein recordsdata first revealed his shut ties with Epstein. He didn’t reply, however previously had at all times denied any wrongdoing.
What’s within the Epstein recordsdata about Andrew?
Whereas earlier allegations about Andrew’s actions within the Epstein recordsdata largely centered across the former prince’s alleged encounters with younger ladies together with Epstein, the anti-monarchy group Republic referred to as earlier this month for a proper investigation over his actions as a British commerce official.
Emails among the many hundreds of thousands of paperwork launched by the U.S. Justice Division on Jan. 30 seem to point out the previous prince handed on confidential studies on his visits as an official British commerce envoy to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, together with particulars of funding alternatives.
One e mail thread exhibits that after his journey to Asia, on Nov. 30, 2010, Mountbatten-Windsor forwarded official studies on his visits, despatched to him by his then-special adviser Amit Patel, to Epstein, simply minutes after he obtained them. There was no message from the then-prince to Epstein accompanying the forwarded message.
One other e mail trade between the boys, the next month, seems to point out Mountbatten-Windsor sharing recordsdata he describes as “a confidential temporary” on potential funding alternatives in southern Afghanistan the place British forces have been primarily based on the time.
Then-Prince Andrew mentioned he was sharing the paperwork with Epstein to hunt his “feedback, views or concepts as to whom I may additionally usefully present this to draw some curiosity” within the alternatives described within the temporary.
The allegations echoed comparable revelations from the most recent tranche of Epstein recordsdata that counsel former British Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson shared confidential authorities data with the late American financier. The London Metropolitan Police confirmed an investigation into his actions earlier this month.
The choice by Starmer to faucet Mandelson for the important thing diplomatic publish introduced big strain on the U.Okay. chief to resign, although following the resignation of his chief of employees, Starmer appeared prone to hold onto his job, at the very least in the interim.
