What was intended to be a quiet 66th birthday for the disgraced former royal ended abruptly with police raids and a trip to a jail cell.
According to Fox News, on Thursday, authorities apprehended Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, stripping away the final layers of his royal insulation as he was booked on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The dramatic arrest follows years of intense public scrutiny surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor, primarily stemming from his well-documented ties to the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Thames Valley Police, the force covering areas west of London that includes Mountbatten-Windsor’s former residence, initiated the sweeping action.
While standard British protocol prevents police from formally naming suspects prior to charging, authorities pointed reporters directly to their official release when questioned about the former prince.
“We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk,” the Thames Valley Police noted.
“The man remains in police custody at this time. We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance,” the police noted.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright confirmed the escalation of the probe.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Wright noted.
“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence. We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” he added.
King Charles III quickly addressed the detention of his younger brother. He stated that Buckingham Palace made no excuses for the 66-year-old.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the king said. “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,” he added.
The specter of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who tragically committed suicide last year, looms heavily over Mountbatten-Windsor’s downfall.
In an extract from her memoir previously published by The Guardian, Giuffre alleged the royal had sex with her knowing she was a 17-year-old minor.
She detailed the chilling instructions given to her by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
“When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey,” Maxwell allegedly told her.
“He was friendly enough, but still entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright,” Giuffre wrote of Andrew. “The next morning, Maxwell told me: ‘You did well. The prince had fun.’ Epstein would give me $15,000 for servicing the man the tabloids called ‘Randy Andy’,” Giuffre wrote.
For Giuffre’s surviving family, Thursday’s arrest offered a measure of bittersweet vindication following her tragic death. They released a statement celebrating the development.
“At last. Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty. On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the UK’s Thames Valley Police for their investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”
