Prince Andrew released under investigation after arrest in England

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released under investigation after being arrested in England on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to officials. Authorities have not announced any charges.

Thames Valley Police said they arrested a “man in his sixties” in Norfolk, in eastern England, on Thursday morning. In a later update, the force said “the arrested man has now been released under investigation,” meaning he has not been charged and inquiries continue.

The BBC reported that Andrew was seen leaving the Aylsham police investigation centre in Norfolk in a black Range Rover at about 6:50 p.m. local time. Images showed him reclined across the back seat as the vehicle departed the facility.

Thames Valley Police said searches at addresses in Norfolk have concluded, while searches in Berkshire, west of London, remain ongoing. Authorities have not disclosed specific details about the alleged misconduct that led to the arrest.

“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” King Charles III said in a statement earlier on Thursday. “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. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.”

The investigation follows previous allegations reported in British media that Andrew had shared official documents, including with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the BBC, he allegedly shared documents from trade visits, forwarded a confidential briefing on investment in Afghanistan, and passed a Treasury briefing to a personal business contact. It is not clear whether those allegations are directly tied to the current investigation.

Andrew, who has been stripped of many of his royal titles, remains eighth in line to the British throne. He is the first senior member of the British royal family to be arrested since 1647.