Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor probe could look into sexual misconduct allegations

LONDON — The police inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will be long and complex, senior officers said on Friday, as detectives could be looking into allegations of sexual misconduct as part of the investigation into potential misconduct in public office while the former prince was a trade envoy for Britain.King Charles’ younger brother was interviewed under caution for hours by detectives after he was ‌arrested at his home in Norfolk in February following the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice relating to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.In an update Friday, Thames Valley Police renewed its appeal for anyone with information to come forward and said it had contacted the lawyers for a woman who previously claimed that she was taken to an address in Windsor for sexual purposes.That encounter, first reported in January by the BBC, allegedly occurred at the former prince’s residence, Royal Lodge, in 2010. The woman’s lawyer, Brad Edwards from the US firm Edwards Henderson, told the BBC she was sent to Britain by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when she was in her 20s and that, after spending a night with Mountbatten-Windsor, she was given a tour of Buckingham Palace.Thames Valley Police had previously said it was aware of such reports, and on Friday made it clear that the force had not yet spoken to the alleged victim.“We have engaged with the woman’s legal representative to confirm that, should she wish to report this to police, it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for anonymity,” the police team said in a statement.“We recognize how difficult it can be to speak about experiences of this nature, and any contact with police will be led by her wishes, when and if she feels ready and able to do so,” it added.The update was the first by Thames Valley Police since Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February at his new home at Sandringham in Norfolk over allegations of misconduct in public office. He was released “under investigation” the same day.Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing, and has denied any personal gain from his role as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008, died in a New York prison in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.The police team said it was continuing to examine “a number of aspects of alleged misconduct” following the US government’s release of documents relating to its investigation into Epstein.“Our misconduct in public office investigation is continuing. Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation,” said Oliver Wright, assistant chief constable for Thames Valley Police. “We encourage anyone with information to get in touch with us.”The update came after the British government on Thursday published documents relating to Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as a trade envoy in 2001.The government said it had found no evidence that the former prince was vetted for the role, and the documents showed that his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, had pushed for his appointment to such a position. Mountbatten-Windsor stood down from the role in 2011 over his ties to Epstein.Documents previously released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show that Mountbatten-Windsor had shared confidential material with Epstein during his time as a trade envoy. British trade envoys are prohibited from sharing “sensitive, commercial, or political information” about relevant markets or visits.However, detectives at Thames Valley Police are understood to be concerned that the public believes the force is focused only on accusations that the former prince shared information while serving as a trade envoy, when in fact the legal terms of the offense under investigation are much broader, Britain’s PA Media news agency reported Friday.The legal definition of the offense can include a wide range of conduct, including sharing confidential financial information, financial misconduct, wilful neglect of duty, and sexual misconduct, PA said. It also covers corruption, improper interference, conflict of interest, and other forms of misconduct.Thames Valley Police said it was supporting other national police forces in contacting Epstein’s victims and survivors.“We hope that anyone with relevant information will come forward whenever they are ready to engage with us; our door is always open,” it said.