Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation on Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Thames Valley Police confirmed. The arrest, which occurred on February 19th, 2026, is linked to allegations concerning activity during his time as a UK trade envoy and follows the release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation by the US Justice Department.
Police searched properties in Berkshire and Norfolk as part of the investigation, taking a man in his 60s into custody earlier in the day. Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright stated that the investigation aims to “protect the integrity and objectivity” of the process, acknowledging the “significant public interest” in the case. No further details regarding the specific allegations were immediately released.
The arrest centers on claims that Mountbatten-Windsor may have passed confidential government documents to Epstein. Files released earlier in January reportedly showed that in 2010, Mountbatten-Windsor forwarded reports about Vietnam, Singapore, and other countries he visited as trade envoy to Epstein. One confidential memo indicated he sought Epstein’s opinions on investment opportunities in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, according to reports.
King Charles III responded to the news by stating that “the law must seize its course” and affirmed the authorities’ receipt of “our full and wholehearted” co-operation. The King’s statement was issued shortly after news of the arrest broke.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Jeffrey Epstein. He did not respond to requests for comment from the BBC regarding the specific allegations stemming from the released Epstein files. The offense of misconduct in public office, a common law offense in England, carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment and concerns “serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held,” according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Following his release, Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed returning to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Thames Valley Police confirmed he has been released under investigation, meaning the inquiry continues and no charges have been filed. US President Donald Trump described the situation as “very sad.”
