What We Know About Andrew's Arrest in the UK

Former Prince Andrew may have thought his fall from grace culminated last fall when he was stripped of his royal titles. But Thursday brought a remarkable new low for the royal family member over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein: Police in the UK arrested him on suspicion of misconduct in public office. What we know:

• The raid: Police descended on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, where the former prince now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been living since King Charles evicted him from his longtime residence. The BBC reports it's not clear exactly where or when Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested, but he is now in custody.
• Police statement: As is customary, police did not name the suspect, describing him only as a man in 60s. Thursday is Mountbatten-Windsor's 66th birthday. See the full statement via the AP.
• Life term: The charge of misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, notes the Guardian.
• Allegation example: The new batch of documents released last month by the Justice Department suggested Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential information with Epstein when, as a prince, he worked as a British trade envoy. In one released email, he appears to forward Epstein information on his visit to Southeast Asia, per the New York Times.

• Giuffre: The public-office allegations follow years of accusations of sexual misconduct. Most prominently, Virginia Roberts Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her to Mountbatten-Windsor when she was a teen, and that the two had sex multiple times. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied it, and he paid Giuffre an undisclosed sum in 2022 to settle a suit alleging that he raped her when she was 17. It was believed to be a multimillion-dollar settlement, per the Wall Street Journal. Giuffre took her own life last year.
• 96 hours: The BBC reports that Mountbatten-Windsor would be placed in a cell with a bed and a toilet, and would receive no special treatment as he awaits a police interview. "It's a very long fall from the splendor of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle," writes Sean Coughlan. Mountbatten-Windsor can be held for a maximum of 96 hours without being formally charged.
• Little sympathy: On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "nobody is above the law" when asked about Mountbatten-Windsor before the arrest was announced, notes the Guardian. King Charles previously said the palace would cooperate in any misconduct investigation.