Former prince Andrew arrested on Epstein-related misconduct allegations

Former prince Andrew is in police custody Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office tied to his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is currently not facing a charge, but London police say they’re looking into reports of sensitive trade information that was sent to Epstein while Andrew was Britain’s special envoy for international trade in 2010.

This is the first time a senior member of the Royal Family was placed under arrest in roughly four centuries.

Mountbatten-Windsor was seen inside of a vehicle leaving a police station in the eastern part of England Thursday, after being questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley police over his dealings with Epstein.

Since the release of the infamous “Epstein files” UK police said they were looking into allegations that the 66-year-old, former prince of the Royal Family, passed on confidential documents to the convicted sex offender, while he was a British trade envoy.

In an even rarer move, King Charles III released a statement Thursday, stating that the “law should take its course” as they look into his brother.

“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,” reads the statement.

“Any involvement whatsoever…could look like The King is trying to influence things,” said Justin Vovk, a royal historian at Redeemer University. “They don’t want to do that — they want nothing to do with Andrew at this point. The best thing they can do, and I think they know this, is let the police do what they have to do.”

Since his relationship to Epstein became public knowledge, the late Queen Elizabeth II forced her son to give up his royal duties in 2019, and last October King Charles stripped the royal title from his younger brother.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who is notoriously connected to Epstein but not criminally charged, chimed in on Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.

“Well, you know, I’m the expert in a way, because I’ve been totally exonerated. It’s very nice. I can actually speak about it very nicely,” said Trump. “I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad, I think it’s so bad for the Royal Family. It’s very, very sad.”

The investigation into the former prince also marks the first time in roughly four centuries that a British royal member was placed under arrest, an extraordinary move that breaks a perception about the British royals and their immunity from the law.

“The fact that Andrew is really cut off from the Royal Family in everything except birth, is really the defining factor here,” said Vovk.

Mountbatten-Windsor was detained for several hours and was interviewed by investigators, but no charges have been laid against the former prince.

He remains under investigation, and he has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his association with Epstein.

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