Former prince Andrew arrested over misconduct in public office

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested by UK police on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his time as a trade envoy.

Police are currently considering allegations including that a woman was trafficked to the UK by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for the former prince. Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

The accusation came to light following the release in the US of documents relating to a trafficking investigation into Epstein.

This is the first time the former prince, who has faced numerous allegations over this links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been arrested.

Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer had said "nobody is above the law" when asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but declined to say whether the former prince should volunteer himself to UK police.

The prime minister told BBC Breakfast the principle was "very important" and "has to apply in this case in the same way it would in any other case".

The arrest was a new blow for the ousted royal, who was marking his 66th birthday on Thursday.

Andrew was last year stripped of all his titles, having been forced out of his former home by his brother King Charles III.

As part of the investigation into Andrew, "we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office," Thames Valley police said in a statement, without naming the suspect, as is common practice in the UK.

Several UK media reported a fleet of unmarked cars, believed to be police vehicles, were seen arriving early Thursday at the Sandringham estate in eastern England where Andrew now resides, AFP reported.

New revelations last week appeared to show Andrew sent convicted US sex offender Epstein potentially confidential documents during his time as a UK trade envoy.

In a November 2010 email, Andrew appeared to share with Epstein reports on Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Singapore following an official visit to Asia.

The ex-royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also reportedly sent the American financier details of the trip - on which he was accompanied by Epstein's business associates - along with investment opportunities months later.

The former prince was eventually stripped of his titles after one of Epstein's victims alleged she had been trafficked to have sex with him.

Charles has voiced "concern" over his brother's actions and last week issued an unprecedented statement noting Buckingham Palace was "ready to support" the police in their inquiries.

Andrew, whose ties to Epstein have caused a spectacular years-long fall from grace, served as a British trade envoy for a decade from 2001.

At least nine separate UK police forces have confirmed they are assessing reports which appear to link the former prince to Epstein.

Police in Surrey, southeastern England, said Wednesday they had become "aware" of a redacted report alleging "human trafficking and sexual assaults on a minor" between 1994 and 1996 in the village of Virginia Water.

The report emerged in the latest tranche of millions of files released by the US justice department from the investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

"After reviewing our systems using the limited information available to us, we found no evidence of these allegations being reported to Surrey Police," its statement read.

"We therefore encourage anyone with information in relation to these allegations to report this to us."

The statement did not name any individuals involved.

London's Metropolitan police has also launched an investigation into the relationship between the UK's former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and the disgraced financier.

- with inputs from AFP