The British public is gripped by the unprecedented arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III. The arrest occurred on the aristocrat's 66th birthday in connection with new evidence in the Jeffrey Epstein case. Although the suspect has already been released from custody, Keir Starmer's cabinet is currently analyzing legal steps aimed at completely removing him from the line of succession to the British throne, which would constitute a constitutional breakthrough in the history of the United Kingdom.

Arrest on birthday

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent 11 hours in custody in Norfolk under suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Reform of the line of succession

The government of Keir Starmer plans legislation that would permanently remove the former prince from the list of heirs to the throne.

Bodyguard interrogations

Police are questioning the aristocrat's personal bodyguards to determine the extent of his contacts with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Searches in Windsor

Authorities continue checking the Royal Lodge estate and are analyzing flight logs of the private jet Lolita Express.

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, which took place on February 19, 2026, represents the most serious image crisis for the British monarchy in decades. The brother of the reigning monarch spent 11 hours in custody in Norfolk county, where he underwent standard police procedures, including fingerprinting and DNA collection. The line of succession has now become the center of political debate, as the government of Keir Starmer is considering introducing legislation to enable the exclusion of the ex-prince from inheriting the throne. The investigation led by the Thames Valley police focuses on charges related to misconduct in public office and potential involvement in human trafficking. Detectives are investigating whether Andrew used his position as special trade envoy to pass confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein. Simultaneously, officers are questioning the aristocrat's former bodyguards and searching his former residence, Royal Lodge, in Windsor. Since 2019, following an ill-fated interview with BBC Newsnight, Andrew has remained on the fringes of public life. In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, paying millions of pounds to avoid a civil trial in the USA for sexual abuse.The situation has been exacerbated by new, compromising visual materials from inside the residence and the designation for public opinion of information about the death of Virginia Giuffre in 2025. „This makes me nauseous; the details of this arrest are disgusting to any moral person.” — Sonsoles Ónega King Charles III issued a rare statement, which experts interpret as a signal of a final break from his brother in defense of the institution of the Crown. Legal experts emphasize that proving misconduct in public office will be extremely difficult due to gaps in the regulations at the time.

Mentioned People

  • Keir Starmer — Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, whose government is considering legislative removal of Andrew from the line of succession.
  • Virginia Giuffre — Main accuser in the Epstein case, deceased in the spring of 2025.
  • Jeffrey Epstein — American financier and sex offender, a close acquaintance of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.