Former United Kingdom (UK) Prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following fresh revelations about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported Thursday.

 

Thames Valley Police confirmed that a 66-year-old man from Norfolk was taken into custody, though they declined to identify him “as per national guidance”.

 

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.

 

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

 

Police had previously announced on February 9 that they were assessing reports of alleged misconduct “in line with our established procedures”.

 

Andrew served as the UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011 but stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after his association with Epstein became public.

 

Recently released files suggest that in October 2010, Andrew shared details of his official trade envoy trips to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen and Hong Kong with Epstein. The following month, he appeared to have forwarded official reports of those trips, sent by his then-special assistant, directly to Epstein shortly after receiving them.

 

The investigation marks a significant escalation in scrutiny of Andrew’s past conduct, reigniting questions about the intersection of royal duties and his controversial connections.