Prince Andrew Arrested: What Happened, the Charges & What It Means

What Happened on February 19, 2026

On his 66th birthday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly styled as Prince Andrew, Duke of York — was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. According to multiple reports from CBS News, NBC News, and NPR, he was held for approximately 12 hours of questioning before being released.

The arrest marks the first time a senior member of the British Royal Family has been arrested in nearly 400 years, a fact that underscores the extraordinary nature of the development. The charges stem from revelations contained in documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in November 2025.

The Misconduct Allegation

The specific allegation against Andrew relates to his conduct while serving as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, a role he held from 2001 to 2011. According to reporting by CBS News and NBC News, the investigation centers on allegations that Andrew shared confidential government information with Jeffrey Epstein during the period of their association.

Misconduct in public office is a common-law offence in England and Wales that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The offence is committed when a public official, acting in their official capacity, willfully neglects to perform their duty or willfully misconducts themselves to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust.

It is important to note that an arrest is not a conviction. Andrew has not been charged or convicted of any offence, and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Background: Andrew's Connection to Epstein

Andrew's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has been the subject of public scrutiny for over a decade. Key events in the timeline include:

The early relationship. Andrew was introduced to Epstein through Ghislaine Maxwell in the late 1990s. He visited Epstein's properties in New York, Palm Beach, and the U.S. Virgin Islands on multiple occasions, as documented in flight logs and witness testimony.

The photograph. A widely circulated photograph from 2001 shows Andrew with his arm around the waist of Virginia Giuffre (then Roberts), who was 17 at the time. Maxwell appears in the background. The photograph was reportedly taken at Maxwell's London townhouse.

The 2010 visit. In December 2010 — after Epstein's conviction on state charges in Florida — Andrew was photographed visiting Epstein at his New York mansion. This visit occurred while Andrew was serving as the UK's trade envoy, a role that brought particular scrutiny to his continued association with a convicted sex offender.

The BBC interview. In November 2019, Andrew gave a widely criticized interview to BBC Newsnight in which he defended his friendship with Epstein and denied allegations made by Giuffre. The interview is widely regarded as having severely damaged his public standing.

The civil lawsuit and settlement. In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in the Southern District of New York. The case was settled in February 2022 with no admission of liability. Andrew reportedly made a substantial donation to Giuffre's charity.

Stripped of titles. In January 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew had returned his military affiliations and royal patronages. King Charles later stripped his brother of the right to use the "His Royal Highness" style in an official capacity.

The Epstein Files Connection

The arrest is directly linked to the massive document release that occurred on January 30, 2026, when the Department of Justice published 3.5 million pages of documents as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. These documents, accessible through the DOJ's Epstein Library, contain communications, investigation records, and other materials that had previously been sealed or redacted.

According to reporting, the released documents contained evidence of communications between Andrew and Epstein that raised questions about whether Andrew had shared sensitive government information. The Metropolitan Police reportedly opened their investigation after reviewing materials that British authorities received from U.S. counterparts.

The Broader European Fallout

Andrew's arrest is the most dramatic but not the only consequence of the Epstein files release across Europe. In the weeks preceding the arrest, the document releases triggered a cascade of political consequences across the continent:

• United Kingdom: Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party and House of Lords over his documented association with Epstein
• Norway: Former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland was charged with aggravated corruption; Ambassador Mona Juul resigned after revelations that Epstein left $10 million to her children
• Slovakia: Miroslav Lajcak resigned after files reportedly showed him requesting Epstein provide "young girls"
• France: Paris prosecutors opened human trafficking and financial wrongdoing investigations
• Turkey and Lithuania: Prosecutors reviewing files for trafficking allegations

The contrast between the swift European response and what NPR described as a "muted" U.S. reckoning has been widely noted by commentators.

What Happens Next

Andrew's legal situation will proceed through the British criminal justice system. Following his release after questioning, several possible outcomes exist:

Charges could be filed. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will review the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police and determine whether to authorize formal charges. This process can take weeks or months.

No further action. If the CPS determines the evidence is insufficient, no charges will be filed. An arrest does not guarantee prosecution.

Additional investigations. The arrest could prompt further investigation into Andrew's activities and associations, potentially expanding the scope of the inquiry.

Important Context

Several important points of context apply to this development:

Presumption of innocence. Andrew has not been charged with or convicted of any criminal offence. He is entitled to the full protections of the legal process.

Misconduct vs. other allegations. The arrest is for misconduct in public office — specifically regarding the sharing of government information — not for sexual offences. The civil allegations made by Virginia Giuffre were resolved through a private settlement.

Being named in documents does not imply wrongdoing. Many individuals appear in the Epstein files in contexts unrelated to criminal activity. The significance of any mention depends entirely on the specific content and context.

This is a developing story. This page will be updated as new information becomes available from verified sources.

Sources

All information in this article is sourced to verified reporting from CBS News, NBC News, NPR, TIME, and the BBC. Links to original sources are provided above.