Prince Andrew’s arrest deepens the monarchy’s long-running crisis

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor marks a moment that would have been almost unthinkable for the modern British monarchy: a senior royal, once central to the institution’s public and diplomatic machinery, now in police custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that “a man in his sixties from Norfolk” had been arrested and that searches were being carried out at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk. The force stressed that it would not name the suspect and warned against reporting that could prejudice active proceedings — a reminder that the case has moved from scandal into the legal arena.

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said:

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.“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.”

Although police avoided naming him, UK media quickly identified the arrested man as the former prince, who lost his royal status last year after years of controversy over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.

The prime minister struck a deliberately institutional tone.

“No one is above the law,” Keir Starmer said, adding that Mountbatten Windsor should cooperate with US authorities examining material from the vast cache of Epstein-related documents.

Those files — more than three million pages released by US investigators — appear to form the background to the British inquiry. Some documents reportedly suggest that in 2010 the former royal shared confidential information from his time as UK trade envoy, including travel reports and a memo seeking Epstein’s views on investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The central legal question is whether those interactions crossed the threshold from poor judgment into abuse of public office.

For the monarchy, the arrest is less about a single legal case and more about the cumulative effect of a decade-long reputational erosion. Andrew had once been one of the most visible working royals, representing the UK in trade missions and international business diplomacy. His removal from official duties was meant to draw a line under the Epstein scandal; instead, the issue has returned in a more serious and institutional form.