Police activity at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate has continued into a second day, with more unmarked vehicles arriving as officers press on with searches linked to the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
He was detained for around 11 hours on Thursday after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, before being released under investigation — meaning he is not currently on bail and faces no restrictions while inquiries continue.
The BBC reports the investigation is connected to allegations that confidential material may have been shared with Jeffrey Epstein during Andrew’s time as a trade envoy, following renewed scrutiny around documents released in January. Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing connected to Epstein and has not responded to the BBC’s specific requests for comment on the latest allegations.
The King was said to have learned of the arrest with “deepest concern”, while politicians and commentators have called for the legal process to proceed without interference — and raised fresh questions about Andrew’s continuing position in the line of succession.
- Searches continue at Royal Lodge in Berkshire; Norfolk searches concluded Thursday night (per the live blog).
- Andrew has been released under investigation (RUI): no bail conditions, but the case remains open.
- The alleged offence being investigated is misconduct in public office.
- CPS not formally giving early investigative advice yet (per the live blog).
- Political reaction includes renewed calls to consider succession implications.
