Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles III, previously known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on his 66th birthday on February 19, 2026. While Thames Valley Police did not mention him by name, the king confirmed the arrest while pledging the royal family’s “wholehearted support and co-operation” with authorities. Since Andrew’s connection to deceased child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has come to light, many are wondering if the former royal could go to prison, and for how long.
The arrest made headlines on February 19. The public scrambled to catch up with the news as police searched both of Andrew’s former Windsor residence and his current one on the Sandringham Estate.
At the time of publication, it’s unclear where Andrew was arrested. Police only confirmed that a man in his 60s was taken into custody for suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Here, find out how long ex-Prince Andrew could serve time in prison if he is convicted following his arrest.
Andrew’s past ties to Jeffrey cost him his reputation and credibility. He was accused by the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre of sexual abuse when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Jeffrey. In 2021, she filed a lawsuit against Andrew; he denied the allegations. However, he reached a legal settlement with Virginia for an undisclosed amount the following year. In April 2025, Virginia died by suicide. Later that year, Andrew was stripped of his royal title.
Additionally, in early 2026, the Epstein files revealed emails between Andrew and Jeffrey between 2010 and 2011, in which the ex-royal may have shared confidential information related to his work.
As previously noted, Andrew was arrested for suspicion of misconduct in public office. Per British law, the Thames Valley Police did not name the person it took into custody.
