Prince Andrew Sues UK Police Over Epstein-Related Arrest
The Duke of York is challenging the legality of his arrest for alleged misconduct in public office.
Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has initiated legal action against Thames Valley Police in the United Kingdom. The lawsuit challenges the lawfulness of his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, stemming from documents released by the U.S. Justice Department concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Telegraph reported on Sunday that Mountbatten-Windsor is seeking a judicial review of the police's actions.
Mountbatten-Windsor, also known as the Duke of York, was reportedly arrested in February on suspicion of leaking government documents to Epstein during the period he served as a special representative for trade between 2001 and 2011. The legal action asks a judge to determine the validity of the police force's engagement with him.
According to the report, the judicial review is connected to the search warrants that permitted police to raid his home on the Sandringham Estate and his former residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor. Detectives from Thames Valley Police questioned the former prince for an entire day following his detention. The police force stated at the time that they were investigating allegations that he had passed documents to Epstein while serving as a trade envoy.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has expressed regret over their association. He stepped down from all royal duties in 2019 due to his ties with Epstein and was subsequently stripped of his titles and honors by King Charles in October amid further revelations about their relationship. Reuters could not immediately verify the report, and Thames Valley Police and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of regular business hours.