The former British royal was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, a police statement read. Law enforcement also conducted searches of addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on "suspicion of misconduct in public office" during his time as UK trade envoy, police said.
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A statement released on Thursday morning did not name the former British royal, but said searches are being carried out at "at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk", while a man in his sixties "remains in police custody". Mountbatten-Windsor turns 66 today.
“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence," the statement said.
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,” it added.
Unmarked police cars were seen earlier on Thursday morning at Sandringham in Norfolk, where he has been living since leaving his home in Windsor.
New revelations last week appeared to show Mountbatten-Windsor sent potentially confidential documents to late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy.
“This is the most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times,” said Craig Prescott, a royal expert at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that, in most cases, suspects are held for 12 to 24 hours and then either charged or released pending further investigation.
The absolute longest the former prince can be held for is 96 hours — but this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a Magistrate’s Court. It is unclear when Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested.
Mountbatten-Windsor will be placed in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet,” where he will wait until his police interview. “There’ll be no special treatment for him,'' Shaw said.
Royal family 'concerned'
Thames Valley Police west of London, confirmed earlier this month that it was "assessing" misconduct in public office accusations against the former prince.
It prompted King Charles III to voice "concern" over the actions of his brother and issue an unprecedented statement noting Buckingham Palace was "ready to support" the police in their assessment.
In the latest potentially damaging disclosure, the Financial Times reported Tuesday that emails show Andrew agreed to help negotiate an $8-billion cash-for-oil swap involving two foreign entities.
The ex-royal and a banker with whom he worked closely exchanged multiple messages about the plan with Epstein, starting while the financier was still under house arrest for a 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from an underage girl, according to the newspaper.
In October, King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge, his residence in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The decision followed years of controversy over Mountbatten-Windsor's association with Epstein. He stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged with any crimes in connection with Epstein and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In 2022, then-Prince Andrew paid a settlement to Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old. The settlement amount was not disclosed, though reports estimated it at between £7.5 million and £12 million.
While he did not admit wrongdoing, Mountbatten-Windsor acknowledged Giuffre's suffering as a victim of sex trafficking in a joint statement announcing the settlement.
Mountbatten-Windsor said he had not remembered meeting Giuffre, despite a photograph showing him with his arm around her waist alongside Maxwell.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41 at her farm in Western Australia. Her posthumous memoir Nobody's Girl was published in October.