J043-RU DETENCION PRINCIPE ANDRES INGLATERRA

King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was on Thursday (February 19) arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, was arrested and questioned by detectives from Thames Valley Police. Earlier this month, the police force said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy.

The arrest of the senior royal, eighth in line to the throne, is unprecedented in modern times.

The former prince, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, who is in police custody, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he regrets their friendship.

Mountbatten-Windsor's office did not respond to a request for comment and he has not spoken publicly since the release of more than 3 million pages of documents by the U.S. government relating to Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

Those files suggested Mountbatten-Windsor had in 2010 forwarded to Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places he had visited on official trips as the government's Special Representative for Trade and Investment.

He was forced to step down from that role in 2011 after his close links to Epstein first emerged.

"Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office," Thames Valley's Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.

"We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time."

The arrest marks a new low for the former prince, who was forced to quit all official royal duties in 2019 over his ties with Epstein and was then stripped by his older brother of his titles and honors last October amid further revelations about their relationship.