Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor found himself in custody on the day he turned 66 years old.
The younger brother of King Charles was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after police were seen swarming his Sandringham home on Thursday.
The ex-prince is now the first senior royal in modern history ever to be arrested.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on his 66th birthday
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On his 66th birthday, at least six unmarked Thames Valley Police cars and around eight plain-clothed officers showed up at the Wood Farm, his home on the Sandringham estate, on Thursday morning.
Reports said one of the cars arrived at Andrew’s five-bedroom farmhouse through the front drive while five others entered from the back entrance.
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About half an hour later, one unmarked police car left and was followed by another. A third vehicle, believed to contain Andrew’s security, also followed.
Investigators also reportedly raided his other royal residences in Berkshire and Norfolk.
The ex-Prince became the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested
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The police force previously said they were reviewing claims about Andrew allegedly sharing sensitive information with his billionaire pal and convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.
They also confirmed that they were separately conducting a probe into allegations of a woman being trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey to engage in a s**ual encounter with the former prince.
Andrew, who is the third child of the late Queen Elizabeth II, has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Image credits: Department of Justice
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“As part of the investigation, we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk,” the Thames Valley police said in a statement.
Image credits: Department of Justice
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In the UK, it is standard procedure for law enforcement agencies to refrain from naming arrested people until they are formally charged with an offence.
“The man remains in police custody at this time,” the statement continued. “We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance.”
Image credits: Department of Justice
The former Duke of York was stripped of his royal titles last year in light of the Epstein scandal.
Netizens had plenty to say following the arrest, with one saying, “I’d stay clear of any tunnels if I was him.”
“Lets [sic] the purge begin,” one commented online, while another said, “All he wanted was a pair of handcuffs for he’s [sic] birthday.”
“Jail time? I doubt it,” said another.
“Arrested is not the same as convicted but it’s a start,” one commented online
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