Epstein Scandal: What You Need to Know About Andrew
Although British police have not officially named the individual, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been widely reported as having been arrested on Thursday (19 February) morning local time.
Thames Valley Police stated that the arrest was made on “suspicion of misconduct in public office,” a common law offence — that is, a criminal offence formed through legal precedent and custom rather than through formal statute.
On Thursday afternoon local time, police said Andrew had been “released pending further investigation.”
Although the alleged offence has not been detailed, Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has long been associated with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The latest Epstein Files contain numerous emails from someone using an address with the initials “A” or “The Duke.”
No longer a prince
Although Andrew has always denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, his brother, King Charles, officially stripped Andrew of his royal titles in November 2025 due to the relationship between the two. His military titles and the style His Royal Highness (HRH) had already been removed in 2022.
The 2025 decision came shortly after the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre was released in October.
Giuffre was one of the most vocal accusers of Epstein, claiming that Epstein had trafficked her to Andrew. The former prince settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022, paying a substantial sum to Giuffre and her foundation without admitting wrongdoing.
The King’s decision to strip his titles also meant Andrew had to leave his Crown-owned residence, a 30-room house in Windsor where he had lived for more than 20 years. He subsequently moved to Marsh Farm, a much smaller property within the King’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
According to British media, this is where the arrest took place.
Former heir to the British throne
Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor is the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, born in 1960.
He was originally second in line to the throne after his brother Charles. Despite having lost his titles (he was previously also known as the Duke of York), he technically remains eighth in the line of succession, behind Prince William, Prince Harry, and their children. However, the possibility of Andrew ascending to the throne is considered virtually impossible.
Like many members of the royal family, Andrew joined the military — in his case the Royal Navy in 1978 — and subsequently served in the Falklands War in 1982. It was during this period that the British media dubbed him “Randy Andy” on account of his numerous reported romantic relationships.
He was believed to be the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite child, as evidenced by his glamorous lifestyle.
He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 in a grand ceremony watched by approximately 500 million television viewers and attended by various celebrities.
They had two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, and separated in 1992. Ferguson also had several connections with Epstein, even acknowledging that she had accepted money from Epstein since 2011.
A string of scandals involving Andrew
The biggest scandal is, of course, his relationship with Epstein. Andrew was introduced to Epstein by Ghislaine Maxwell, and thereafter Epstein frequently attended various events at British royal properties.
Giuffre’s accusations caused Andrew’s reputation to plummet, exacerbated by a bizarre and controversial interview on the BBC’s Newsnight programme in 2019, during which he claimed not to remember ever meeting Giuffre and even asserted that he “never sweated.” That year he stepped back from public duties, followed by the gradual stripping of his titles and royal privileges.
Previously, in 2011, he had stepped down from his position as the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for International Trade and Investment following scrutiny over his spending and his relationships with controversial figures from Libya, Saudi Arabia, and his early involvement with Epstein. Nevertheless, he continued to carry out official duties on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II until 2019.
His relationship with an alleged Chinese spy was revealed in court documents in 2024, and security officials were reportedly concerned about the man’s influence over Andrew.
Such events are unprecedented in modern royal family history, particularly within the House of Windsor.
Anne, Andrew’s sister, became the first member of the royal family to be convicted of a criminal offence in 2002, when she pleaded guilty to breaching the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The only person with legal immunity is the reigning monarch — currently King Charles — meaning he cannot be prosecuted criminally. For the time being, Andrew faces no charges, although he was earlier reported to have been in police custody.