King Charles III Urges Law To Take Its Course Following Prince Andrew’s Arrest
Britain’s King Charles III has said that “the law must take its course” following the arrest of his brother, Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. In a statement from Buckingham Palace, the monarch said, “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.” He added, “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.” Thames Valley Police confirmed Andrew’s arrest on Thursday, along with searches at two addresses linked to him in Berkshire and Norfolk. “We have today arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. The man remains in police custody at this time,” the police said, without naming the individual in line with U.K. guidance. 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.” Norfolk Police confirmed it is assisting with the inquiry. The arrest followed reports of unmarked police cars and plain-clothed officers at Andrew’s Norfolk residence, Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate, early Thursday—coinciding with his 66th birthday. The allegations being investigated reportedly relate to Andrew’s time as the U.K.’s trade envoy, with claims he shared confidential government reports with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These reports are said to have included details of trips to Singapore, China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in 2010 and 2011. The allegations trace back to documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice in its final disclosure of Epstein-related files. One email, addressed to “The Duke” and forwarded to Epstein, included reports on Southeast Asian visits, while another outlined a potential investment opportunity in Afghanistan. The investigation also follows scrutiny of a photograph showing Andrew leaning over a woman, whose identity and context remain unclear, and claims that Epstein sent a woman to Andrew at the Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2010. Thames Valley Police said all information is being assessed according to established procedures. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The renewed investigation has reignited questions about his connection to Epstein, who was first convicted in 2008 on charges related to prostitution, including involving a minor, and died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
