LONDON: King Charles III on Thursday said “the law must take its course” after the arrest of his younger brother, Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid renewed scrutiny over his past links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement reported by BBC, the monarch expressed his “deepest concern” over the development but stressed that the matter would be handled through “the full, fair and proper process” by the appropriate authorities. “I have learned with the deepest concern the news regarding Andrew and the suspicion of misconduct in public office,” Charles 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. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.” He added that it would not be appropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.
The 66-year-old former royal was arrested by Thames Valley Police at his residence on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England. According to The Guardian, neither the King nor Buckingham Palace had prior knowledge of the arrest.
Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles in 2022 over his association with Epstein, remains in police custody. Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the alleged offence has been opened, though the suspect was not officially named, in line with standard UK practice.
Police had earlier stated they were “assessing” claims that Andrew, during his tenure as Britain’s special envoy for international trade, shared confidential trade documents with Epstein in 2010. The allegations reportedly surfaced among millions of pages of documents released last month by the US Justice Department as part of its probe into Epstein, according to Associated Press.
Andrew’s association with Epstein has long cast a shadow over the royal family. In 2019, he stepped back from public duties at the request of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, following a widely criticised interview with the BBC in which he attempted to address questions about the relationship. Subsequent revelations in books and court filings last year led King Charles to remove his remaining royal distinctions and request that he vacate his residence in Windsor.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright of Thames Valley Police said: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office. We understand the significant public interest in this case and will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
Unmarked police vehicles and plainclothes officers were reportedly seen outside Andrew’s Norfolk residence earlier this week. Buckingham Palace has indicated it will fully cooperate with authorities as the investigation proceeds.
