Andrew Mountbatten released under investigation after arrest over misconduct

LONDON — Former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released following his arrest on Thursday on “suspicion of misconduct in public office” during his time as UK trade envoy.A police statement released on Thursday morning did not name the former British royal, but said searches are being carried out “at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk”, while a man in his 60s “remains in police custody”. Mountbatten-Windsor turned 66 on Thursday.Mountbatten-Windsor was seen leaving a police station the same evening, after which a second police statement said “the arrested man has now been released under investigation”.The statement confirmed that police searches in Norfolk had concluded, while searches in Berkshire were still under way.Britain’s King Charles III issued a statement following the news of his brother’s arrest, saying “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,” King Charles III said. “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”The King’s tactics in dealing with the unfolding allegations around Andrew have stood in contrast to that of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.Andrew was, reportedly, her favorite son, and critics have previously said she did not act quickly enough to hold Mountbatten-Windsor to account for the repercussions of his friendship with Epstein.New revelations last week appeared to show Mountbatten-Windsor sent disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein potentially confidential documents during his time as a UK trade envoy.Thames Valley Police, west of London, confirmed earlier this month that it was “assessing” misconduct in public office accusations against the former prince.In the latest potentially damaging disclosure, the Financial Times reported Tuesday that emails show Andrew agreed to help negotiate an $8-billion cash-for-oil swap involving two foreign entities.The ex-royal and a banker with whom he worked closely exchanged multiple messages about the plan with Epstein, starting while the financier was still under house arrest for a 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from an underage girl, according to the newspaper.In October, King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge, his residence in the grounds of Windsor Castle.The decision followed years of controversy over Mountbatten-Windsor’s association with Epstein. He stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with Epstein.Neither King Charles nor the palace were given advanced warning of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, a royal source told CNN. The arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office is of course no indication of guilt, but it marks yet another extraordinary moment in Andrew’s yearslong fall from grace.Police say he has been released but remains under investigation. No charges have been filed.Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied all allegations of wrongdoing and said he never witnessed or suspected any of the behavior that Epstein was accused of.He has not commented on the recent allegations of misconduct in public office.But the events of Thursday, which began with a convoy of unmarked police vehicles arriving early at Andrew’s temporary lodgings on the Sandringham Estate on his 66th birthday, have left the British royal family staring down one of its biggest crises in decades.The palace said plainly last week that Charles would support authorities in their inquiries. That means that if asked the palace could allow the police to access any internal communications between Andrew and others.Charles and Andrew are not thought to have been particularly close growing up, given their 11-year age gap. The King is known to have a stronger bond with his sister, Princess Anne.The brothers were perhaps closest in the 1980s after Charles married Diana and Andrew tied the knot with Sarah Ferguson, as the two women were known to be good friends.“Although the relationship has been more distant in recent years, when they were younger they were part of the royal family together, knew each other quite well and their families were close,” royal historian Kate Williams told CNN.She also said that the family now has “a huge problem on their hands, and it’s separating themselves from Andrew.”She expects the public might demand further accountability from the King and the wider family moving forward.“The question is going to be asked increasingly, ‘What did Charles know?’ And I think people are going to start saying, ‘What did William know?’” Williams said. “This is going to be the biggest challenge that the royal family has had on their hands since the death of Diana.”Royal commentator Sandro Monetti said “the Andrew issue has, and will, come to define King Charles’ entire reign.” — Agencies