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Police continued connected Friday (February 20, 2026) to hunt the erstwhile location of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a time aft the former prince was held successful custody for the champion portion of 11 hours connected suspicion of misconduct successful nationalist bureau linked to his relationship with the precocious convicted enactment offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Following 1 of the astir tumultuous days successful the modern past of Britain's royal family, the erstwhile Prince Andrew is backmost astatine his caller location connected the Sandringham estate, King Charles III's backstage retreat, which is astir 115 miles (185 kilometres) northbound of London.
Police person concluded their hunt determination but are inactive searching Royal Lodge, his 30-room erstwhile location successful the grounds of Windsor Castle, conscionable westbound of the capital.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who was pictured slouched successful the backmost of his chauffeur-driven car pursuing his merchandise Thursday (February 19, 2026) evening, remains nether investigation, which means helium has neither been charged nor exonerated by Thames Valley Police, the unit liable for areas westbound of London.
Arrest was years successful the making
His apprehension follows years of allegations implicit his links with Epstein, who took his ain beingness successful a New York situation successful 2019. The accusation astatine the bosom of his apprehension is that Mountbatten-Windsor — who was known arsenic Prince Andrew until October erstwhile his member stripped him of his titles and honours — shared confidential commercialized accusation with the disgraced financier erstwhile helium was a commercialized envoy for the UK.
Specifically, emails released past period by the U.S. Department of Justice appeared to amusement Mountbatten-Windsor sharing reports of authoritative visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
One, dated November 2010, appeared to beryllium forwarded by Andrew 5 minutes aft helium had received it. Another a fewer weeks aboriginal appeared to amusement him sending Epstein a confidential little connected concern opportunities successful the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Other constabulary forces successful the UK are besides conducting their ain investigations into Mountbatten-Windsor's Epstein-related links.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied immoderate wrongdoing successful his relation with Epstein but has not commented connected the astir caller allegations that person emerged with the merchandise of the alleged Epstein files.
Arrest was sudden, probe volition instrumentality time
Police swept into the grounds of Mountbatten-Windsor's location to apprehension him astatine 8 a.m. connected Thursday (February 19, 2026) — his 66th day — earlier taking him to a adjacent constabulary presumption for questioning.
It's not known what helium told them. He whitethorn person said nothing, oregon “no comment,” arsenic is his right.
Experts said that misconduct successful a nationalist bureau is notoriously hard to prove.
“Firstly, it indispensable beryllium determined if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was successful a relation wrong authorities that constitutes the rubric of nationalist officer,” said Sean Caulfield, a transgression defence lawyer astatine Hodge Jones & Allen. “There is nary modular explanation to intelligibly gully on.” The Crown Prosecution Service volition yet marque a determination astir charging him.
Andrew Gilmore, a spouse astatine Grosvenor Law, said that prosecutors volition use the two-stage trial known arsenic the “Code for Crown Prosecutors.” “That trial is to find whether determination is simply a much realistic imaginable of a condemnation than not based connected the grounds and whether the substance is successful the nationalist interest,” helium said. “If these 2 tests are met, past the substance volition beryllium charged and proceed to court.”
Arrest is not conscionable unusual, it's historical
Mountbatten-Windsor was the archetypal royal since King Charles I astir 4 centuries agone to beryllium placed nether arrest. That turned into a seismic infinitesimal successful British history, starring to civilian war, Charles' beheading and the impermanent abolition of the monarchy.
His apprehension is undoubtedly 1 of the gravest crises to impact the House of Windsor since its constitution much than 100 years ago. Arguably, lone the abdication of King Edward VIII successful 1936 and the decease of Diana, Princess of Wales, successful 1997 person been arsenic sedate for the instauration of the British monarchy successful modern times.
For the king, it's concern arsenic usual
Though the king and the royal household volition transportation retired their mean duties arsenic normal, the questions surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor volition continue, not slightest due to the fact that the investigations are apt to instrumentality time.
In a connection Thursday (February 19, 2026), the king said the “law indispensable instrumentality its course,'' but that arsenic ”this process continues, it would not beryllium close for maine to remark further connected this matter.''
The allegations are not related to Epstein's enactment trafficking
The allegations being investigated Thursday (February 19, 2026) are abstracted from those made by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to Britain to person enactment with the prince successful 2001, erstwhile she was conscionable 17. Giuffre died by termination past year.
Still, Giuffre's sister-in-law Amanda Roberts said that she was overjoyed erstwhile she got a telephone telephone astatine 3 a.m. telling her the quality of the arrest. But those feelings of elation were rapidly analyzable by the realisation that she couldn't stock the feelings of "vindication" with Giuffre.
“We can't archer her however overmuch we emotion her, and that everything that she was doing is not successful vain,” Roberts added tearfully.
