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Arrest shocks UK
Former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on Feb. 19 at about 8:20 p.m. (Paris time) and released after nine hours in custody while awaiting the outcome of an investigation into suspected misconduct in the exercise of public duties.
“released on Thursday, February 19, around 8:20 p.m. (Paris time), after nine hours in custody”
Le Monde with AFP said the arrest was made on suspicion of “professional misconduct in the exercise of public duties” and that searches at two residences linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had ended at one and were ongoing at the other.
The arrest followed allegations that he transmitted potentially confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein, including travel reports in Asia made when he was the United Kingdom's trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
In the immediate political response, BBC reported that the king said, “Je tiens à le dire clairement : la justice doit suivre son cours,” after the arrest prompted a “convocation d'une réunion d'urgence par le roi à Buckingham Palace.”
Police broaden inquiry
British police renewed their call for witnesses as they broadened their investigation into potential offenses by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, including sexual misconduct, while Thames Valley Police said it was working through “a significant amount of information” from the public and other sources.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright told reporters, “Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation,” as police said the offence can include sharing confidential financial information, financial misconduct, willful neglect of duty, and sexual misconduct.
BBC also reported that police were concerned witnesses might think they were focusing only on the narrow definition of misconduct in public office, rather than a complex offence that can include abuse of position, sexual misconduct and corruption.
In a separate update, Thames Valley Police said it had engaged with a woman’s legal representative, adding that “should she wish to report this to police it will be taken seriously and handled with care” and respect her right to anonymity.
Long probe, wider risk
The investigation is expected to be lengthy, with WION reporting that Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said, “The investigation is by necessity hugely thorough and will take time,” and that it “isn’t going to be a quick investigation by any means.”
““The investigation is by necessity hugely thorough and will take time,” Wright told reporters.”
WION said the inquiry centers on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s tenure as Britain’s special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011, with police examining allegations that sensitive information may have been shared with Jeffrey Epstein during that period.
The Guardian said the Thames Valley Police investigation is still assessing a claim that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes, and that it is “not a full criminal investigation yet.”
Looking ahead, The Guardian reported that there is no criminal trial until 2027 if it were to produce evidence to support criminal charges, while it also said the Met is investigating Peter Mandelson for misconduct in public office and Surrey police announced they were investigating claims of historic child sexual abuse arising from the Epstein files.
