Former Prince Andrew was arrested on his birthday in a dramatic development tied to his long-scrutinized relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The ex senior royal, formally known as Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor, was taken into custody as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office connected to his past dealings.
BREAKING: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as part of the Epstein files investigation, per the BBC.
Police are conducting searches at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk, including near Sandringham… pic.twitter.com/MBlzI06Le6
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) February 19, 2026
Authorities confirmed the arrest is linked to Prince Andrew’s association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal s-x trafficking charges. The probe centers on whether former Prince Andrew’s conduct during his time as a working royal breached legal obligations stemming from that relationship.
The arrest immediately prompted a response from King Charles III, who expressed his “deepest concern” while pledging his “full and wholehearted support” for investigators. “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the king said. According to a New York Post report, the royal family was not informed in advance that Andrew would be detained.
Despite the upheaval, the queen continued with scheduled engagements in central London. Prince William and Kate Middleton were reported to support the king’s statement. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also weighed in, stating Thursday that “nobody is above the law” when asked about Andrew voluntarily speaking with authorities.
Andrew’s association with Epstein has cast a shadow over the royal family for years. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on s-x trafficking charges involving minors and died the following month in federal custody. His network of high-profile associates has remained the subject of ongoing global scrutiny.
Photographs and flight logs previously showed Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein together on multiple occasions, fueling questions about the depth of their relationship. Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has said he regrets his association with Epstein. In a widely publicized television interview in 2019, he stated he had “no recollection” of certain allegations made against him.
Prince Andrew is ‘very depressed’ as disgraced Duke ‘completely lost’ without royal lifehttps://t.co/bYgoP24GbD
— GB News (@GBNEWS) June 19, 2023
In 2022, former Prince Andrew reached a financial settlement in a civil lawsuit filed in the United States by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have s-x with Andrew when she was 17. Andrew denied the allegations but agreed to settle the case without admitting liability.
The current arrest marks the most serious legal development Andrew has faced in the United Kingdom related to his Epstein ties. Misconduct in public office is a significant offense under British law and can carry substantial penalties if prosecutors pursue formal charges and secure a conviction.
Buckingham Palace has not issued a detailed statement beyond the king’s remarks. Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties in 2019 and was later stripped of military titles and patronages, has largely remained out of the public spotlight in recent years.
The timing of the arrest — on Andrew’s birthday — adds a striking dimension to the unfolding case. As investigations continue, the situation represents a dramatic escalation in the long-running Jeffrey Epstein saga and places renewed scrutiny on one of the most controversial chapters in modern royal history.
With the king emphasizing that “the law must take its course” and political leaders underscoring that “nobody is above the law,” the legal process surrounding former Prince Andrew now moves into a new and highly consequential phase.
