Former United Kingdom royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking an unprecedented moment in modern royal history.
Police confirmed the arrest of “a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” adding that searches are underway at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk. Authorities did not publicly name the individual, but details match Mountbatten-Windsor, who lost his royal titles last year.
The arrest follows renewed scrutiny linked to his long-standing association with disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier this month, King Charles III signalled support for law enforcement reviewing claims that Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared confidential information with Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied wrongdoing related to his friendship with Epstein.
The former prince’s relationship with Epstein has shadowed him for years. Among Epstein’s most vocal accusers was Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at 41. Giuffre alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor raped her on three occasions, including when she was underage, after Epstein trafficked her from Mar-a-Lago at 16.
Mountbatten-Windsor denied the allegations. In 2022, he agreed to pay millions to settle a civil sexual assault lawsuit brought by Giuffre. That same year, he relinquished military roles and stopped using the His Royal Highness title.
In January, the US Justice Department released more than three million pages of Epstein-related records. Among them were emails appearing to show Mountbatten-Windsor forwarding reports from a 2010 Southeast Asia tour to Epstein shortly after returning to the UK. Another email suggested he shared his travel itinerary, including visits to Hanoi, Saigon, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.
Public anger first surged in 2019 after Giuffre repeated her allegations in a televised interview. Mountbatten-Windsor defended his friendship with Epstein in a widely criticized appearance that failed to ease public concern.
In 2025, King Charles stripped him of his “prince” title and required him to vacate his Windsor residence.
Mountbatten-Windsor now stands as the first senior royal in modern British history to face arrest, underscoring the profound shift in accountability surrounding the monarchy.
