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PRINCE Andrew has been released under investigation after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he passed confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Reuters reported on Friday that the Duke of York, born Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was detained and questioned on Thursday by officers from Thames Valley Police before being released from custody in the evening.
The arrest, on his 66th birthday, marks an unprecedented development for a senior member of the modern royal family.
Police confirmed that “the arrested man” had been “released under investigation”.
Earlier this month, the force said it was examining allegations that Prince Andrew shared official documents with Epstein while serving as the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment.
A conviction for misconduct in public office, a common law offence, carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and is tried in the Crown Court.
In a statement, King Charles III said he had learned of the arrest “with the deepest concern”.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the King said.
Although Buckingham Palace was not informed in advance of the arrest, the monarch made clear that the authorities had the family’s backing.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” he said.
“Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
A Reuters witness saw Prince Andrew leaving Aylsham Police Station shortly after 1900 GMT, where photographers and television crews met him. A photograph taken after his release showed him seated inside a car, appearing visibly shaken.
Earlier in the day, six unmarked police vehicles and several plain-clothes officers were seen at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, where he now resides.
Officers were also reported to be searching the mansion on the Windsor estate where he had lived before stepping back from royal life.
Police stressed that an arrest indicates reasonable suspicion but does not imply guilt.
Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
Prince Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019, and has previously said he regrets their friendship.
His office did not respond to requests for comment, and he has not spoken publicly since the United States government released more than three million pages of documents relating to Epstein.
Those files suggested that in 2010, he forwarded reports on Vietnam, Singapore and other destinations visited during official trips in his role as trade envoy.
He stepped down from that position in 2011 after scrutiny of his ties to Epstein first intensified.
The current investigation is separate from a civil lawsuit brought in the United States by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was a teenager.
In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement in that case without admitting liability. Giuffre died by suicide last year.
Responding to news of the arrest, Giuffre’s family said: “Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.”
The development represents a further setback for the Duke of York, who withdrew from public duties in 2019 amid controversy over his association with Epstein and was stripped of his remaining military affiliations and royal patronages last October.
In the United States, President Donald Trump described the arrest as “a shame”.
“I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family,” he told reporters. “It's very, very sad to me... to see what's going on with his (King Charles') brother.”
The misconduct inquiry is not the only matter under review. Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has reported Prince Andrew to police over allegations that a woman was trafficked to Britain for sex in 2010.
Thames Valley Police has said it is assessing claims that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor where he had been living.
Separately, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for an investigation into whether Epstein trafficked women through London Stansted Airport without adequate scrutiny. Essex Police confirmed this week that it was examining the issue.
Should Prince Andrew ultimately face charges, he would join a small number of senior royals to have been formally accused of criminal offences.
Princess Anne was fined for speeding in 2001 and, the following year, became the first royal in more than three centuries to be convicted of a criminal offence after pleading guilty to failing to control a dog that bit two children.
In 1649, King Charles I was tried for treason and executed at the end of the English Civil War. - February 20, 2026