Former Prince Andrew arrested by British police after revelations in Epstein files

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formally known as Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the first member of the British royal family to be detained in modern times.

The King’s brother was taken into custody in Norfolk on Thursday morning as part of police investigations into the former prince’s dealings with late convicted child sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

This follows reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade information to the late financier in 2010, when he was Britain’s special envoy for international trade.

The information came to light in correspondence between the two men that was among the millions of pages of documents from the so-called Epstein files released last month by the US Justice Department.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.

The British police say they are also assessing information relating to the possible trafficking of a young woman to have sex with the former prince, also in 2010.

“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Police also said they were searching two properties where the former prince used to live.

King Charles, while expressing concern over his brother’s arrest, has said that the investigation has his full support and “the law must take its course”.

Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that in most cases, suspects are held between 12 and 24 hours and are then either charged or released pending further investigation.

The absolute longest the former prince can be held for is 96 hours — but this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a Magistrate’s Court.

Andrew will be placed in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet,” where he will wait until his police interview.

“There’ll be no special treatment for him,'' Shaw said.

The late Queen Elizabeth II forced Mountbatten-Windsor to give up his royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous BBC interview in which he tried to explain away his ties to Epstein.

But more details about the relationship emerged in a book published last year, and Charles stripped him of the right to be called a prince and ordered him to move.

Then came the unprecedented announcement last week that Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.

Charles was forced to act after US release of documents revealing the extent of his brother’s relationship Epstein that continued long after the financier pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York in 2019. He took his own life in jail while awaiting trial.