King Charles: Police ‘have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation’
King Charles has said “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest of his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
In a statement, the monarch said:
I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.
As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.
Key events
What could happen next?
Rajeev Syal
The longest the former prince can be held is 96 hours, but this would require extensions from senior police officers and a magistrates court. In most cases, suspects are held for 12 or 24 hours and are then either charged or released pending further investigation.
If taken to a police station, Andrew will probably be placed in a cell in a custody suite, where he will wait until his police interview. Police will be able to access computer equipment, files and photographs, and can carry out searches of any premises he owns or occupies, or any other premises he controls.
King Charles was met with a mix of shouts and cheers while arriving at an engagement in the Strand area of central London, the PA news agency reported.
Several people crowding the streets let out cries of “ohh” as the king’s car pulled up.
As he entered the building, questions about Andrew’s arrest were shouted. He did not respond.
Eluned Morgan, the first minister of Wales, said she was “shocked” by the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
She said: “I think we’ve all been shocked by what’s been happening and, clearly, now there’s been an arrest, and it’s in police hands, so I can’t comment further, but it’s a serious situation.
“But everybody should be treated the same.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales were staying at Anmer Hall, their home on the Norfolk estate, at the time of the arrest, according to the Times.
Anmer Hall is about five miles from Mountbatten-Windsor’s Wood Farm residence.
Pictures: Police activity ongoing at royal estates in Sandringham and Windsor
What has Andrew been arrested for?
Rajeev Syal
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He remains in custody – though his whereabouts are unclear – as police search addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
The arrest appears related to his conduct as a UK trade envoy and follows the disclosure of emails related to Epstein.
Among the files released by the US Department of Justice were documents that appeared to show the former prince forwarding sensitive government documents and commercial information to the convicted sex offender.
In 2010, he appears to have forwarded government reports from visits to Vietnam, Singapore and China to Epstein, according to the recently published files.
The documents also appeared to show that Andrew forwarded Epstein information on investment opportunities in gold and uranium in Afghanistan.
Andrew served as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011. Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial or political information about their official visits.
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein and rejected any suggestion he used his time as trade envoy to further his own interests.
The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn described the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a “very serious development”.
The SNP MP said:
It underlines why it was a bad misjudgment for Keir Starmer to block Parliament from debating action against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as recently as October.
The former prince should have been stripped of his titles and roles as quickly as possible – it was a mistake for the Labour government to delay action.
Meanwhile, also in Scotland, the former first minister Humza Yousaf credited the victims of Jeffrey Epstein – including Virginia Giuffre – for bringing “scrutiny”.
Writing on X, Yousaf said:
Due process matters but so does accountability. For far too long, wealth, titles and status have protected men.
It is down to the bravery of Epstein’s victims, like Virginia Giuffre, that there is some scrutiny on those who associated with him. Let’s hope there’s also justice.
The King has carried on with his duties as monarch in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
Charles continued with his planned ambassadorial in-person audiences at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
He was pictured welcoming the ambassador of El Salvador Francisco Lima Mena as part of a series of audiences at the royal residence.
The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is “seismic” and has left senior royals in “uncharted waters”, a royal commentator has told the Press Association.
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the royal family was facing a situation that it was “ill-equipped to navigate”.
He said:
The arrest of the eighth in line to the British throne is seismic.
Senior royals are now in uncharted waters that they are ill-equipped to navigate.
They will have to answer questions about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and be held accountable, something which, up until now, has been an alien concept for them.
Responding to news of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, former prime minister Gordon Brown said:
I have submitted a five-page memorandum to the Metropolitan, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and other relevant UK police constabularies.
This memorandum provides new and additional information to that which I submitted last week to the Met, Essex and Thames Valley police forces where I expressed my concern that we secure justice for trafficked girls and women.
The Scottish first minister John Swinney has spoken on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Speaking to media in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, he said:
The announcement in relation to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor obviously relates to a live case and I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment upon that.
