Police search of Royal Lodge continues as Andrew released under investigation – live updates | UK news

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested yesterday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, becoming the first royal to have been held in custody in more than 350 years. He has since been released and pictured last night returning to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The arrest appeared related to his conduct as a UK trade envoy, between 2001 and 2011, and followed the disclosure of emails related to Jeffrey Epstein. Among the files released by the US Department of Justice were documents that appeared to show the former prince forwarding sensitive government documents and commercial information to the convicted sex offender. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Police said they have finished searching Mountbatten-Windsor’s home in Sandringham but officers would continue to search Royal Lodge, his former home in Berkshire.

King Charles, who did not know in advance about the arrest, said: “The law must take its course.”

To find out more about why Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested and what happens next, click here:

The estate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has agreed to pay up to $35m (£26m) to settle the outstanding legal claims of potentially dozens of victims, according to a court document.

The AFP news agency reported that the settlement is related to victims who said they were “sexually assaulted or abused or trafficked” by Epstein between 1 January 1995, and through 10 August 2019, the date of the disgraced financier’s death in prison, according to the court filing.

Epstein’s estate would pay $35m if there are 40 or more people eligible in the class and $25m (£18.6m) if there are fewer than 40.

The family of Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years in prison for helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls, responded last night to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.

“Astonished to see Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested today over alleged misconduct in public office linked to material from the so‑called Epstein ‘Files’,” they posted on an X account run by Maxwell’s siblings.

“He is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a fair process – which our sister Ghislaine never received. We need transparency, evidence, and the same rules for everyone – not trial by media and political expediency.”

Pictures: Detectives continue their searches of Andrew Mountbatten-Windor’s former home in Berkshire.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, said there should be more transparency over how the monarchy operates.

When asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, he told BBC Breakfast: “I think we should have in our minds the survivors, the victims of Epstein, who are having to look at all this reporting and possibly reliving their traumas.

“So it is quite a shocking situation. Let the police do their work.”

He continued: “I think more broadly, going forward, we do need to see more transparency, and parliament has a really important role to play, and I think we need to, you know, sort of help the monarchy get over this – it’s a really important part of our country – and the way that, I think, will go forward, is having more transparency over how they operate.”

Here are the main stories from yesterday on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest:

• While the spotlight has been on Mountbatten-Windsor, his arrest has prompted questions about what is next for his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Robyn Vinter reports:

• While Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest came after years of uproar over his association with Epstein, documents show he had been on the radar of US law enforcement for nearly 15 years. Victoria Bekiempis reports:

US president Donald Trump described Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest as a “shame” and “very sad thing”.

When asked by reporters for his reaction, he said:

I’m the expert in a way because I’ve been totally exonerated so I can speak about it …

I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It’s very, very sad. To me, it’s a very sad thing. When I see that, it’s a very sad thing …

To see that and to see everything that’s going on with his brother, who is coming to our country very soon, the king … so I think it’s a very sad thing.

King Charles is due to visit the US in April.

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office in the UK has prompted calls from US lawmakers and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse to demand accountability for those linked to the late sex offender across the Atlantic.

On Thursday, Kentucky’s Republican representative Thomas Massie – who co-sponsored legislation with California’s Democratic representative Ro Khanna to compel the justice department to release millions of files related to Epstein – called for action in the US.

“Prince Andrew was just arrested. This was the metric I established for success of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that @RepRoKhanna and I got passed,” Massie wrote on X.

He went on to urge US attorney general Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel “to act”, adding: “Now we need JUSTICE in the United States.”

Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the House of Representatives’ oversight committee, issued a similar statement, saying: “Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest is an enormous step forward in our fight to secure justice for the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific crimes … Now it’s the time for the United States to end this White House cover up. President Trump and his Epstein administration are not above the law.”

Lawmakers have asked Mountbatten-Windsor to come to the US to testify about his ties to Epstein.

For the full story, click here:

While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest by British police on Thursday came after years of uproar over his association with Jeffrey Epstein, documents show he had been on the radar of US law enforcement for nearly 15 years.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s name came up during a 2011 FBI inquiry into Epstein, investigative documents recently disclosed by the justice department reveal. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all allegations of misconduct related to Epstein.

In March of that year, agents traveled to Australia after an Epstein victim contacted federal prosecutors in south Florida, saying she had “information pertinent” to the late financier and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.

The victim’s name is redacted from several documents chronicling the interview, but details closely track the public and legal claims made by Virginia Giuffre, a well-known Epstein accuser who died by suicide last year.

For the full story, click here:

Here are some pictures from the newswires from Thursday when Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested:

A search at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former Berkshire home by UK police remains under way following the former prince’s arrest on Thursday.

Even though Thames Valley police have concluded searches at Mountbatten-Windsor’s home on the Sandringham estate where he was arrested, the search continues at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, has consistently denied wrongdoing related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

It is understood that neither the King nor Buckingham Palace had been informed before the arrest on Thursday morning. However, the Home Secretary was alerted to the arrest shortly before Andrew was taken into custody, it is understood.

Thames Valley Police denied briefing the Home Office before the arrest, but issued a statement from the National Police Chiefs’ Council to clarify that the NPCC did so.

The statement read: “In line with routine practice, the National Police Chiefs’ Council alerted operational colleagues within the Home Office of the arrest. This gave 30 minutes’ notice before Thames Valley Police made the arrest.”

PA contributed to the reporting.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released from custody by UK police on Thursday following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. No charges have been laid against him.

The arrest of the 66-year old former prince sent shockwaves through the UK and abroad, marking the first time a senior member of the royal family has been arrested in nearly 400 years.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest follow the recent release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

The former prince has denied all allegations of wrongdoing related to Epstein, including that he allegedly shared sensitive information with Epstein while he was serving as a trade envoy.

Without referring to Mountbatten-Windsor as his brother, King Charles released a statement on Thursday in which he said “the law must take its course.”

Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump has called Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest a “very sad thing,” adding that it is “a shame” as US lawmakers and survivors of Epstein call for justice in the US.

Mountbatten-Windsor remains under investigation. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates.