Live: Britain’s former prince Andrew arrested; King Charles says ‘law must take its course’

‘Nobody in this country is above the law’ - deputy prime minister

British deputy prime minister David Lammy has said “nobody in this country is above the law” and that the police investigation “must happen in the usual way”.

Speaking to BBC News at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, he said: “As justice secretary - and as the prime minister has said - nobody in this country is above the law. And this is now a police investigation and that must happen in the usual way.”

Police did not give King Charles advance notice of Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.

It is understood neither he nor Buckingham Palace were informed in advance of the arrest earlier this morning.

King Charles has said it was with “deepest concern” he had learnt about the arrest of his younger brother and that police have “our full and wholehearted support and co-operation”.

‘No one is above the law, not even royalty’, says family of Virginia Giuffre

Virginia Giuffre’s family have said that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest shows that “no one is above the law”.

Giuffre was one of the most prominent victims of the US financier Jeffrey Epstein who also alleged she had been sexually trafficked to Mountbatten-Windsor. She took her own life in April 2025, aged 41.

The statement says: “At last, today our broken hearts have been lifted with the news that no one is above the law – not even royalty.

“On behalf of our sister, we extend our gratitude to the UK’s Thames Valley Police in their investigation and arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

“He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”

Elsewhere, Queen Camilla has arrived for an engagement in Westminster just hours after police confirmed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

She was greeted by representatives of Sinfonia Smith Square where she will attend a lunchtime orchestral concert.

‘The law must take its course’, says King Charles who expresses ‘deepest concern’

King Charles has said “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest of his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

In a statement, he said: “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.

“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.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”

Before the arrest was announced, British prime minister Keir Starmer told BBC Breakfast “nobody is above the law” when asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Starmer added: “Anybody who has any information should testify. So whether it’s Andrew or anybody else, anybody who has got relevant information should come forward to whatever the relevant body is, in this particular case we’re talking about Epstein, but there are plenty of other cases.”

Here is a helpful timeline that goes right up to the stripping of Mountbatten-Windsor’s titles and his exit from Royal Lodge.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest appears to be the first of a UK royal since King Charles I in the 17th century following his defeat in the English Civil War.

In March 1554, Queen Mary I ordered the arrest of her half-sister, Princess Elizabeth, following suspicions of involvement in Wyatt’s Rebellion.

Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London for two months before being moved to house arrest at Woodstock. She was eventually released after failing to be directly linked to the plot.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with Epstein came under renewed scrutiny this year when the US justice department released millions of documents relating to the disgraced financier.

Documents showed that Mountbatten-Windsor had advocated for Epstein on a state visit to the United Arab Emirates with Britain’s late queen Elizabeth in 2010.

They also showed that he had shared confidential information acquired as a result of his trade role with Epstein and his associates.

The files also contained an image of Mountbatten-Windsor on all fours above a young woman.

It was unclear to which activities the arrests were related. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any financial or sexual wrongdoing arising from his links with Epstein and his circle.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest comes days after Buckingham Palace said it would “stand ready to support” the police if approached over the claims made against him.

A spokesman for the Palace added that King Charles had made clear his “profound concern” over his brother’s alleged conduct.

Mountbatten-Windsor is effectively no longer a royal, after he was stripped by the monarch of both his right to be a prince and his dukedom late last year over his association with Epstein.

He does, however, remain in the line of succession – he is eighth in line to the throne, having gradually moved down after being born second in line.

Police have been assessing allegations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with the billionaire child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.

Thames Valley police previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, and claims he shared sensitive information with the disgraced financier while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.

Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Epstein.

Oliver Wright, the force’s assistant chief constable, said: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.

“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence. We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Britain’s former prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, were published on Thursday.

A statement from Thames Valley police said: “We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.

“The man remains in police custody at this time.”

The arrest came as Mountbatten-Windsor celebrated his 66th birthday at home on Thursday.

Follow irishtimes.com for updates throughout the day.