Britain’s former Duke Andrew arrested over connections with Epstein

20 FEBRUARY 2026

Britain’s former Duke of York, Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor), was arrested over alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased American financier and convicted sex offender.
This marks an extremely rare event — a senior member of the British Royal Family being arrested — highlighting the seriousness of the unfolding Epstein scandal.

His Position in the Royal Family

Prince Andrew is the younger brother of Charles III, formerly held the title Duke of York and served as the U.K.’s unpaid trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
In October 2025, he was stripped of his titles and asked to leave Royal Lodge.
He later moved to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Why Was He Arrested?

He was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, allegedly for passing confidential official documents to Epstein during his time as trade envoy.
The arrest follows the release of millions of pages of files by the United States Department of Justice related to Epstein.

Other Allegations Linked to Epstein

In 2021, Virginia Giuffre alleged that Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her to Prince Andrew when she was 17.
In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre.
Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025.
Recently released documents also included controversial photographs and references suggesting possible financial links between Epstein and Peter Mandelson, former U.K. envoy to Washington, who resigned amid the controversy.

Reaction from the Palace

Buckingham Palace released a statement in which King Charles called for: “a full, fair and proper process”, “the law must take its course”
The Palace stated it would not comment further while the investigation continues.
The scandal has created political pressure on the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer