Police arrest King Charles' brother Andrew over misconduct relating to Epstein

By Michael Holden and Sam Tabahriti

LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was on Thursday arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.

UK police have a general practice of not publicly naming suspects but they gave details that identified the former prince, who has been under investigation over allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy.

Thames Valley Police, which earlier this month said it was looking into the allegations, said a man in his 60s had been arrested and was now in police custody.

"Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office," Thames Valley's Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.

"It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence. We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time."

The former prince, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth who was celebrating his 66th birthday on Thursday, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he regrets their friendship.

But he has not responded to requests for comment since the latest mass release of documents by the U.S. government. There was no immediate comment from Buckingham Palace. Andrew's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Being arrested does not infer he is guilty of any crime.

UNMARKED POLICE CARS

In accordance with British police guidelines, the force declined to name Mountbatten-Windsor but inquiries about the former prince's case were referred to Wright's statement.

British media also published pictures of six unmarked police cars and around eight plain-clothed officers who arrived at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England where Mountbatten-Windsor now lives.

Thames Valley Police said officers were also searching a property in Berkshire, where the royal used to live on the king's estate until he was forced out amid anger at the Epstein revelations.

A conviction for misconduct in a public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and must be dealt with in a Crown Court, which only deals with the most serious criminal offences.

In 2022, the former prince settled a civil lawsuit brought in the United States by the late Virginia Giuffre who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The police investigation is not related to this or any other allegation of sexual impropriety.

The former prince was forced to quit all official royal duties in 2019 over his ties with Epstein and was then stripped by his older brother of his titles and honours last October amid further revelations about their relationship.

EPSTEIN FILES TRIGGERED FRESH COMPLAINT TO POLICE

Mountbatten-Windsor had been reported to police by the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic following the release of more than 3 million pages of documents relating to Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

Those files suggested Mountbatten-Windsor had in 2010 forwarded to Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places he had visited on official trips.

Thames Valley Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have previously said that they were in discussions about the case. Police said allegations of misconduct in public office, which is a 'Common Law' offence and so is not covered by written statute legislation, involved "particular complexities".

Were Mountbatten-Windsor to ultimately face criminal charges, he would join a very small group of senior British royals who have formally been accused of offences.

His elder sister Princess Anne was fined for speeding in 2001, and the following year became the first royal to be convicted of a criminal offence in 350 years when she appeared in court to plead guilty to failing to stop one of her dogs, named Dotty, biting two children.

King Charles I was tried for treason in 1649 towards the end of the English Civil War, found guilty and beheaded.

The misconduct investigation is not the only accusation against Mountbatten-Windsor into which police are looking.

Republic has also reported him over allegations he was involved in the trafficking of a woman to Britain for sex in 2010. Thames Valley Police said the force was assessing allegations that a woman had been taken to an address in Windsor, where the former prince lived until recently.

Buckingham Palace has said it was ready to support any police investigation, saying the king had expressed "profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's conduct".

"Their majesties' thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse," the palace said.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also called for a police investigation into the extent of Epstein trafficking women without proper checks by the authorities through London's Stansted Airport, saying this had been overlooked by previous inquiries into Mountbatten-Windsor.

Essex police said on Wednesday it was looking into the issue.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton and Janet Lawrence)