Live updates: Former Prince Andrew 'released under investigation' after arrest by British police
The arrest caps years of growing pressure on Andrew, the brother of King Charles III and son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, over his friendship with late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
What to know
- KING'S BROTHER ARRESTED: British police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor today after weeks of revelations about the former prince’s friendship and dealings with the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
- ROYAL RESPONSE: King Charles III expressed his "deepest concern" over the news and said the royal family was offering its "full and wholehearted support and co-operation."
- WHAT POLICE SAY: Thames Valley Police, which covers an area in southern England where Mountbatten-Windsor used to live, said a man in his 60s has been "released under investigation" after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
- ANDREW'S DENIALS: Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing in connection with his affiliation with Epstein. Today's arrest caps years of growing pressure on Andrew, the brother of King Charles and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
U.K. Home Office given 30-minute heads up before arrest of Former Prince Andrew
The National Police Chiefs’ Council said it gave the U.K. Home Office a "routine" half-hour warning before arresting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
"In line with routine practice, the National Police Chiefs’ Council alerted operational colleagues within the Home Office of the arrest. This gave 30 minutes’ notice before Thames Valley Police made the arrest," the National Police Chiefs’ Council, a national law enforcement coordinating body, said in a statement.
Trump calls arrest of former Prince Andrew 'very sad'
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump said the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was "very sad."
"I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It's a very, very sad — to me, it's a very sad thing when I see that," the president said.
When asked about the former prince's arrest, Trump also called himself an "expert in a way" on the topic.
"I’m the one that can talk about it, because I’ve been totally exonerated. I did nothing," Trump said.
The president also noted that King Charles is visiting the U.S. in upcoming months, calling him “a fantastic man."
King’s statement on former Prince Andrew shows how grave this crisis is for U.K. royals
King Charles III does not usually sign his name on statements about his brother. Thursday was different.
The king’s response to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest — quick, personal and directly addressing the British public — telegraphed just how serious this crisis is for Britain’s 1,000-year-old royal family.
“It’s an extraordinary moment, unprecedented in modern times, for the brother of the king to be arrested for a serious criminal offense,” said Craig Prescott, who specializes in the constitutional and political role of the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London. “I genuinely cannot think of a parallel close to that.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor 'released under investigation' after arrest, police confirm
British police have confirmed that the former Prince Andrew has been released from a U.K. police station.
Thames Valley Police, which covers an area in southern England where Mountbatten-Windsor used to live, said a man arrested this morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office "has now been released under investigation," meaning he has neither been charged nor exonerated.
In line with British policing convention, the statements have not identified the former Prince Andrew by name.
Police added that their searches in Norfolk, where Mountbatten-Windsor now lives, have concluded, but that searches in Berkshire are still underway.
"Thames Valley Police will not be making any further statement at this time and will not be holding a press conference or conducting any media interviews in relation to this investigation," the statement added.
Former Prince Andrew photographed leaving U.K. police station
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, leaves Aylsham Police Station, in Aylsham, England, on Thursday. Phil Noble / Reuters
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor just left a U.K. police station, according to a photograph from Reuters.
He was seen being driven away from Aylsham Police Station in Norfolk, roughly 50 miles from the Sandringham Estate where he now lives.
He was arrested at approximately 8 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) according to Thames Valley Police, nearly 12 hours ago.
Monarchy is in 'deep trouble,' anti-monarchy campaigners say
The CEO of Republic, an anti-monarchy organization that has long challenged the reach of the royal family, welcomed news of Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest.
“I honestly didn’t think this day would come,” Graham Smith wrote in posts on X.
He noted the arrest of a British royal was unprecedented in modern times, and said the monarchy appears to be in “deep, deep trouble” just three years since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The group said it intends to stage a protest at a Commonwealth Day service attended by senior royals on March 9, claiming that many people are now questioning "the very institution itself."
Recent polling continues to show Britons favor the monarchy over an elected head of state by a wide margin, though support has dipped in recent years.
Arrest is 'more serious' crisis for monarchy than the death of Diana, NBC News royal contributor says
In many ways, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest is “a lot more serious” for the royal family than the crisis faced after the death of Princess Diana, according to NBC News royal commentator Daisy McAndrew.
“The queen’s reaction to Diana’s death did damage the standing of the royal family with the British public, but only because they thought she handled it badly and there was a bit of aloofness and coldness,” she said.
Andrew's arrest is an absolute “gift from heaven” for campaigners opposed to the monarchy, “and you can’t really imagine it being much worse,” she said.
King Charles’ statement that the royal family “will continue in our duty and service to you all” was “very deliberate wording,” she said, adding that today's public appearances by the king, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne suggested they were trying to project that it was "business as usual."
King Charles, Queen Camilla ignore questions and carry on with duties
Britain’s King Charles III was greeted by cheers, as well as shouted questions about his younger brother, as senior royals pressed on with planned public engagements on Thursday.
King Charles III attends the opening show of London fashion week on February 19, 2026. Richard Pohle / WPA Pool/Getty Images
“What’s your reaction to your brother’s arrest, sir?” a journalist could be heard shouting as the monarch arrived at London Fashion Week.
Charles, who earlier put out a statement expressing his “deepest concern” about the news of his brother’s arrest, did not acknowledge the question as he greeted well-wishers before heading inside.
Queen Camilla also faced questions as she left an engagement at a London arts venue.
She waved to the cameras but did not respond to a journalist who shouted, “Are you concerned about Andrew’s arrest, Your Majesty?”
While politicians in the U.K. commonly face shouted questions from journalists, the tactic is usually much less common at royal events. Senior royals, usually greeted by cheering crowds, have in recent years faced occasional heckles from members of the public relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The legal restrictions around reporting on former Prince Andrew's arrest
Compared to the United States, the U.K. has tight reporting restrictions that apply from the moment an arrest is made, in the run-up to and during possible criminal trials.
These are aimed at stopping the publication of information that could prejudice a potential jury.
In the statement about former Prince Andrew's arrest, the Thames Valley Police warned members of the media to take care with any publication to avoid being in contempt of court.
Britain's rules about what can be reported around active criminal cases come from the 1981 Contempt of Court Act, which imposes restrictions on any publication that could create a “substantial risk that the course of justice in the proceedings in question will be seriously impeded or prejudiced.”
Arrest worst royal crisis since King Edward VIII’s 1936 abdication, historian says
The arrest of former Prince Andrew is the worst crisis to hit the British monarchy since the abdication of King Edward VIII in 1936, Ed Owens, an author and royal historian, told NBC News.
“This is much more severe than the immediate aftermath of the [Princess] Diana crisis in 1997 following her death,” Owens said. “It’s definitely more severe than 1992, which was the so-called Queen’s annus horribilis, which pales in comparison to what is going on now. And then, we've got to go further back in time again to discussions around Princess Margaret’s private life, and going further back again to the abdication crisis in 1936.”
The abdication King Edward VIII in order to marry U.S. divorcee Wallis Simpson shook the foundations of the monarchy, Owens added, undermining confidence in the royal family among large swaths of the public.
“I think this is the most serious scandal, probably since the abdication,” he said.
King Charles attends the opening of London Fashion Week
Richard Pohle / WPA Pool via Getty Images
John Phillips / Getty Images
Britain's King Charles III on the first day of London Fashion Week at NewGen 180 The Strand in central London today.
Queen Elizabeth stripped former Prince Andrew of military titles
Former Prince Andrew was widely believed to be late Queen Elizabeth II's favorite among her four children.
Nevertheless, the queen stripped her second son of military titles and patronages as the scandal around his ties with Jeffrey Epstein grew in 2022. The move was seen as a brutal and humiliating exercise in damage limitation.
As the allegations continued to mount after the queen’s death, King Charles III went further and stripped his brother of his royal titles and residence.
Former Prince Andrew's 2019 BBC interview exacerbated his fallout
The then-Prince Andrew sat down for an in-depth interview with the BBC's "Newsnight" in 2019 to address his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein — a bold and rare move aimed at clearing his name.
Instead of revamping his public image and stamping out talk of his ties to the late convicted sex offender, the interview did the exact opposite. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was ridiculed by the British media, criticized for defending his friendship with Epstein and accused of failing to convey empathy for Epstein's victims.
Commentators particularly pounced on Mountbatten-Windsor's claim that he had stayed at Epstein's New York home in 2010, which was after Epstein served time for soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, in order to end their friendship.
"I admit fully that my judgment was probably colored by my tendency to be too honorable, but that’s just the way it is," he said in the BBC interview.
In 2024, Netflix released a movie about the behind-the-scenes story of the interview called "Scoop."
Majorie Taylor Greene slams Trump
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green criticized President Donald Trump and U.S. authorities in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
“The UK has arrested Andrew because of the Epstein files and over here the President signed an EO protecting cancer causing Glyphosate in our foods and we have zero Epstein related arrest and investigations since release of the files,” she said in a post on X. “And we are on the verge of going to war against Iran.”
“That’s the current state of MAGA and MAHA,” she added.
Greene was one of Trump and the MAGA movement’s most outspoken supporters before she began to break with the president on some issues, including the release of the Esptein files. Greene resigned from office in January.
What is misconduct in public office?
Former Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, police said, but it is complicated to define.
There are four elements for the offense to be considered committed, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, an independent body that prosecutes criminal cases investigated in England and Wales.
Investigators would have to establish that a suspect was serving as a “public officer” when the alleged offense was committed. Secondly, they would need to be evidence that the suspect “willfully” neglected to perform their duties and/or willfully misconducted themselves.
It would also have to be established that the suspect’s actions amounted to “an abuse of the public’s trust” and finally, whether those actions did not have any “reasonable excuse or justification.”
The Law Commission, a nondepartmental public body of the U.K.’s Ministry of Justice, says the offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Decision to arrest 'wouldn't have been taken lightly,' former chief superintendent says
The fact that the former Prince Andrew was arrested “would suggest there is significant evidence,” according to a former chief inspector at London's Metropolitan Police force.
“This is massive,” Dal Babu told NBC News’ British broadcasting partner Sky News. “You don’t have to arrest someone who you are investigating. You can ask them to provide a written statement through their lawyer. You can invite them to a police station without arresting them.”
Police officers near the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in Norfolk, England today. Peter Nicholls / Getty Images
Investigators can now “search any properties that are owned, controlled or under the control, so there would be the opportunity once the arrest has been made to search multiple locations.”
He added they could be searching for physical files and electronic devices like laptops and mobile phones.
“This decision wouldn’t have been taken lightly,” he said, adding that the former Prince Andrew “can be held up to 24 hours and then potentially up to 96 hours.”
Former Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal titles last year
King Charles stripped his younger brother of his royal titles last year following growing pressure over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ties to Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor was no longer permitted to call himself a prince and was forced to stop using some of his other titles, including the Duke of York. The king also forced him to leave his home at the Royal Lodge, close to Windsor Castle.
Calls for Charles to do so came to a crescendo following the publication of late Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s posthumous memoir in October, which detailed already-made allegations against Andrew.
Prince William and Princess Kate 'fully support' King Charles’ statement
Princess Kate and Prince William, the heir to the British throne, fully support the king's statement following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, an aide to the prince and princess of Wales told NBC News.
King Charles III earlier expressed his “deepest concern” at the news.
“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,” his statement read in part.
Princess Kate and Prince William in Windsor, England in 2025. Alberto Pezzali / Getty Images file
King Charles continues with royal duties
King Charles III today welcomed El Salvador’s Ambassador Francisco Lima Mena at St. James’ Palace, London’s senior royal palace, as part of a series of audiences.
King Charles III and El Salvador’s Ambassador Francisco Lima Mena today. Yui Mok / AFP via Getty Images
Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied wrongdoing in ties with Epstein
The former Prince Andrew has consistently denied allegations against him in relation to Jeffrey Epstein.
Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Fla., in 2000. Davidoff Studios / Getty Images
In an October statement announcing that he would give up his Duke of York title amid increased media scrutiny, Andrew stated: “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has not responded to multiple requests for comment from NBC News, including after his arrest today.
Virginia Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law speak out
Virginia Roberts Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law said it was "surreal" to wake up to the news of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest today.
"It's a very proud moment for us," said Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts. He called the charges against Mountbatten-Windsor the "first step."
"I think there's so much more that needs to be done here," he said. "I'm hoping they conduct a full investigation and there's a conviction of some sort."
Roberts also praised King Charles III for his statement about the investigation.
"I want to continue to commend the King, because what a hard thing to do, to have to come after your own family member," he said. "But I know that what he knows is it’s the right thing to do.”
The arrest today dealt with separate issues from the sex assault allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor by Giuffre, who died by suicide last year. Mountbatten-Windsor has long denied the allegations.
Amanda Roberts said today she feels "overwhelmingly proud" of Giuffre.
"We wish she was here physically to see it, because it is her pressure and her truth that has brought us to this place that has paved the way for all of these survivors to come forward," she said. "We just miss her so much and wish that we could call her to just scream on the phone with her."
King Charles not informed in advance of arrest
King Charles and Buckingham Palace were not informed in advance of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, a palace official told NBC News.
The former prince is in custody after being arrested earlier today on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Police drive away from royal residence
Police drive in convoy after detaining Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Sandringham, a royal household, this morning.
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Queen Camilla appears on royal duty today
Rasid Necati Aslim / Anadolu via Getty Images
Rasid Necati Aslim / Anadolu via Getty Images
Britain’s Queen Camilla is seen leaving Sinfonia Smith Square Hall, of which she is a patron, in London today.
Today is former Prince Andrew's birthday
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on the day he turned 66 years old. He remains in police custody, according to investigators.
Virginia Giuffre's family releases statement on Andrew's arrest
The family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who had alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, issued a statement saying their "broken hearts have been lifted."
Virginia Giuffre (then Roberts) with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell.
"On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the Thanes Valley Police for the investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor," the family's statement said. "He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you."
Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Andrew in 2021 alleging that the former prince sexually abused her when she was 17.
Mountbatten-Windsor has denied having had sex with Giuffre. He stepped back from active royal duties in 2019 amid the controversy and reached a legal settlement with Giuffre for an undisclosed amount in 2022.
Britain's PM said ‘nobody is above the law’ ahead of former prince's arrest
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said today that “nobody is above the law” when asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, speaking ahead of the royal's arrest this morning.
Starmer told British public broadcaster the BBC the principle was “very important” and “has to apply in this case in the same way it would in any other case.”
Starmer said that if British lawmakers in Parliament wanted a debate on Mountbatten-Windsor's links to Epstein, he “wouldn’t stand in the way.”
King Charles III expresses 'deepest concern,' pledges full support for police probe
King Charles III has today expressed his "deepest concern" at the news of his brother's arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Prince Andrew and King Charles III in London in September 2025. Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images file
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace this morning but signed "Charles R," the monarch pledged his full support for the police probe.
The statement reads:
"I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. 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."
Arrest 'horrifically embarrassing' for the royal family
The arrest of the former Prince Andrew is “an awful day for the evolution of an institution that has lasted over a thousand years and has sought at its heart to be of service,” a leading royal commentator tells NBC News.
“You can’t avoid this being the most horrifically embarrassing day, sad day, shocking day for the British crown to have a former prince of the blood arrested and to have him arrested and to answer questions on a charge that is pretty serious,” Alastair Bruce told NBC News British partner Sky News.
King Charles III “has had a short reign so far and its been clobbered by now two things, first of all his diagnosis with cancer and now the horror of today with his brother at the center of these accusations,” he said.
“I think that for the king, he feels that he really must do his bit and fulfill the expectations that people make of him.”
Former Prince Andrew's arrest unprecedent in modern times, royal historian says
The arrest of former Prince Andrew today is unprecedented for the British monarchy, royal historian and author Sarah Gristwood told NBC News.
"I can’t think of anything like this in modern times," Gristwood said.
During the Tudor and Stewart periods of the British history spanning from the 15th to the 18th centuries, plenty of royals, even monarchs, were thrown in prison but on clearly political grounds, not criminal charges, Gristwood said.
"It is the first age in which someone who was very recently a senior royal could be treated like any other common criminal," she added.
Former Prince Andrew arrested following Epstein files revelations
Police today arrested the former Prince Andrew after weeks of revelations over the former prince's friendship and dealings with convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Thames Valley Police said it arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the United Kingdom.
A man steps out of an unmarked car at the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in Sandringham, Norfolk, today. Peter Nicholls / Getty Images
The force, which covers an area in southern England where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he is now known, did not name him, as is standard practice under British law.
Asked whether Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested, the police responded with a statement: “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said. “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.”
