Original article: La corona se cae a pedazos: detienen al expríncipe Andrew por el caso Epstein
There are no precedents in modern history for the arrest of a member of the English royal family, making the detainment of former Prince Andrew for alleged misconduct in public office due to his connection with Jeffrey Epstein a scandal of the highest proportions for the crown.
In the most significant upheaval in the history of the British monarchy since King Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, was arrested on Thursday at the royal residence of Sandringham in Norfolk due to his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As part of a wide-ranging operation, several police cars arrived at the scene to arrest the former prince on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly providing confidential documents to Epstein while serving as the UK’s special trade envoy, a position bestowed by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, which allowed him to travel the world and establish international connections from 2001 to 2011.
The British police confirmed the arrest, identifying the ex-prince as «a man in his 60s from Norfolk,» following standard practice of not naming detained individuals. However, images from the raid at his home in East London have surfaced.
The police investigation is focused on whether Andrew shared confidential information with Epstein, leveraging his official position. Indeed, new documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the Epstein case reveal an email showing that the former prince shared economic data about Asian markets with the billionaire during his tenure as a special trade envoy.
Specifically, he allegedly sent information regarding a deal between the Royal Bank of Scotland and car manufacturer Aston Martin, as well as contracts related to Afghanistan’s reconstruction. He also shared reports on Vietnam, Singapore, and China.
There are also claims that he might have smuggled a woman into Buckingham Palace, who may have been trafficked to the UK on Epstein’s «Lolita Express» plane.
How long will former Prince Andrew be imprisoned?
The Thames Valley police stated that the «man» under arrest is currently «in custody,» but did not specify where he will be held.
The maximum time that King Charles’s brother could remain in jail or police custody during the preliminary investigation is 96 hours.
In a conversation with BBC Radio, policing expert and commentator Danny Shaw noted that in most cases, suspects are held for between 12 and 24 hours, after which they are either charged or released pending further investigation.
He explained that Andrew would be placed in «a detention center cell» with just «a bed and a toilet,» where he will wait until interrogated by the police and that he «will not receive any special treatment.»
Meanwhile, police continue to search his residences in Berkshire and Norfolk.
Misconduct in Public Office
According to the BBC’s legal affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani, misconduct in public office is a highly complex crime, as the charges faced by former Prince Andrew pertain to cases where someone acting on behalf of the British public knowingly committed a serious offense.
He indicated that there are four «elements» or factors that the police will focus on during their investigation to allow prosecutors to decide whether charges should be filed.
First, it must be determined if the person under investigation was a «public official» and whether the incident in question was part of their duties.
«If an agreement is reached, detectives will seek evidence that, in the incident in question, the suspect «deliberately» breached their obligations or otherwise committed a serious offense. This intricate definition has long been the subject of legal debate, but we’ll discuss that later,» he stated.
He pointed out that the next question is whether the action taken was so serious that it constituted «an abuse of public trust.»
Finally, if the evidence surpasses these three tests, the police must examine whether the investigated individual acted «without excuse or reasonable justification.»
The Monarchy in Turmoil
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor —who turned 66 on Thursday— was stripped of all his titles by his brother King Charles III following pressure from Epstein’s victims and the British government.
However, it wasn’t until last week that he vacated his Windsor Castle mansion, where he had been living rent-free under a taxpayer-funded arrangement, and moved to a smaller residence in Sandringham, a royal property where the arrest reportedly took place.
Notably, the scandal erupted when it became known that the former Duke of York had a close relationship with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein following the sexual exploitation allegations brought forth by Virginia Giuffre when she was a minor, who claimed she was forced by the predator to engage in sexual acts with Charles III’s brother.
Giuffre took her own life last April at the age of 41, and her memoirs were posthumously published in October. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied having violated Giuffre, with whom he reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022 to resolve a lawsuit filed a few months prior.
King Charles III Responds: ‘The Law Must Take Its Course’
There are no precedents in modern history for the arrest of a member of the royal family, rendering Andrew’s arrest a scandal of monumental proportions for the crown.
Upon hearing the news, King Charles III issued a brief public statement affirming that «the law must take its course.»
«I have received news regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the suspicion of misconduct in public office with deep concern. What follows now is the full, fair, and proper process through which this matter will be investigated appropriately and by the competent authorities,» he stated.
The monarch expressed that authorities and institutions have «our full and sincere support and cooperation» to conduct the necessary investigations and procedures.
«Let me be clear: the law must take its course,» he emphasized.
He indicated that while the process unfolds, he feels «it would not be right for me to make further comments on this matter.»
«In the meantime, my family and I will continue with our duties,» he stressed.
