Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested Following Investigation into Misconduct in Public Office

2026-02-19 global

London, Thursday, 19 February 2026.
Detained on his 66th birthday, the former prince faces allegations of sharing sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s special trade envoy.

Arrest at Sandringham Estate

On the morning of Thursday, February 19, 2026, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by Thames Valley Police in connection with an investigation into misconduct in public office [1]. The arrest occurred on his 66th birthday at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where unmarked police vehicles and plainclothes officers were observed shortly after 8:00 a.m. [2][3]. This development follows the former prince being stripped of his title last year, a move that precipitated his current use of the Mountbatten-Windsor surname [8]. While police guidelines prevented them from naming the suspect directly, they confirmed that a man in his sixties from Norfolk is currently in custody and that searches are being conducted at addresses in both Berkshire and Norfolk [4].

Allegations of Official Misconduct

The primary focus of the investigation involves allegations of misconduct in public office, specifically relating to Andrew’s past role as the United Kingdom’s special trade envoy [2]. Authorities are assessing claims that he shared confidential government documents with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein [3]. Specific reports indicate that in 2010, Andrew allegedly forwarded sensitive information regarding international markets, including reports on Vietnam and Singapore, to the financier [3]. Thames Valley Police formally opened this investigation following a “thorough assessment” of the available evidence [2].

The Epstein Files and Political Response

The catalyst for this renewed legal scrutiny was the release of over 3 million pages of documents, known as the “Epstein files,” by the US Department of Justice in January 2026 [3][5]. The sheer volume of new information prompted the anti-monarchy group Republic to report Andrew to the police, leading to the current investigation [3]. The fallout has been extensive, with nine UK police forces now assessing various leads related to the Epstein documents, supported by a national coordination group and the National Crime Agency [5][6].

Sources

United Kingdom Legal Liability