Former British Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested 

Former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested by police on Thursday, 19 February 2026, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, in a dramatic escalation of legal scrutiny related to his ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Thames Valley Police, which covers areas west of London including where Mountbatten-Windsor lives, confirmed that a man in his 60s from Norfolk is in custody. 

Under UK law, authorities did not name him in their initial statement, but multiple media outlets identified the detainee as the 66-year-old duke.

The arrest took place early on Thursday at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where unmarked police vehicles and officers were seen arriving. Searches were also carried out at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The investigation centres on claims that Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as a UK trade envoy more than a decade ago, passed sensitive government information to Epstein. These allegations stem from millions of files released by the US Department of Justice as part of the so-called Epstein files, which have renewed scrutiny of his relationship with the convicted sex offender.

Police previously assessed whether there were grounds to investigate reports that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein for an encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, though details remain sealed as part of the active investigation.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles in 2025 amid the ongoing controversy, has consistently denied any wrongdoing linked to his association with Epstein.

Thames Valley Police said it would protect the integrity of its investigation while working with partners to establish the facts and acknowledged the high level of public interest in the case.

The arrest marks the most significant development yet in the long-running saga over Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct and underlines that public figures remain subject to legal accountability, regardless of their former status.