The former Prince Andrew was arrested and held for hours by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein, an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment. London’s Metropolitan Police Service has said it is investigating allegations of misconduct in public office related to Mandelson’s correspondence with Epstein. Modern concerns about Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein have dogged the royal family for more than a decade. But as concern mounted about what the Epstein files might reveal, the king moved aggressively to insulate the royal family from the fallout. AdvertisementAdditional correspondence appears to show Mountbatten-Windsor sending Epstein reports from a two-week tour of Southeast Asia that he undertook in 2010 as Britain’s trade envoy.

Source: The Times February 19, 2026 20:15 UTC