Former Prince Andrew questioned for 11 hours in Epstein Case, released without charge

British police on Thursday released Prince Andrew , now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein .

The Thames Valley Police said a man in his 60s from Norfolk had been arrested earlier in the day and questioned for nearly 11 hours before being released under investigation . This legal status means he has neither been charged nor cleared and remains subject to further inquiries while detectives review evidence.

Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed leaving a police station near his residence on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England on Thursday evening. Officers also carried out searches at two properties connected to him, confirming that one search had been completed while another was ongoing.

Police said the arrest followed an assessment of allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor passed trade-related information to Epstein in 2010 while serving as Britain’s special envoy for international trade. The claims emerged from correspondence released recently by the U.S. Justice Department as part of its investigation into Epstein’s activities.

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said authorities had opened a formal inquiry into possible misconduct. “We understand the significant public interest in this case and will provide updates at the appropriate time,” he said.

This marked the first time since the arrest of King Charles I in 1648 that a senior British royal had been taken into custody by civil authorities, underscoring a dramatic shift in public attitudes toward royal accountability and the erosion of long-standing traditions that once shielded the monarchy from legal scrutiny.

King Charles III issued a rare public statement following the arrest of his younger brother, saying, “The law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further.”

Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein.The current inquiry is separate from earlier accusations by Virginia Giuffre , who alleged she was trafficked to Britain to have sex with the prince in 2001 when she was 17. Giuffre died by suicide last year.