Police statement and royal response
In a statement issued on Feb. 19, Thames Valley Police said officers had opened a formal investigation and made an arrest earlier that morning. Searches were conducted at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
Police did not release the name of the suspect, citing national guidance. Later that day, authorities said the man had been released under investigation. The force added that no further updates or press conferences were planned.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said the decision to launch a full investigation followed an assessment of available information. He said that, given the level of public attention, officers would “maintain the integrity and objectivity of the investigation.”
Shortly after the arrest was confirmed, Buckingham Palace released a statement from King Charles III.
The King said the matter would be handled by the “appropriate authorities through a full, impartial, and proper process.” He added that police would have the royal family’s “full and unequivocal support and cooperation.”
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“The law must take its course,” the King said, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment further while the investigation remains ongoing. He said the royal family would continue to fulfill its public responsibilities.
Yahoo News and other outlets reported that unmarked police vehicles and plainclothes officers arrived early that morning at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, where Andrew resides. The operation coincided with his 66th birthday. Norfolk Police confirmed it is assisting Thames Valley Police in the inquiry.
Andrew has not been charged. The investigation remains ongoing.
Allegations under review
Police have not fully detailed the specific allegations underpinning the operation. Previously, authorities said they were assessing information concerning whether Andrew, while serving as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy, shared confidential government reports with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
On Feb. 4, police said they were also reviewing information alleging that in 2010 Epstein brought a woman to the Royal Lodge in Windsor to meet Andrew. Authorities said the material was being assessed in accordance with established procedures.
On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the publication of approximately 3.5 million pages of additional material related to the Epstein investigation.
According to the department, the release included large volumes of responsive records connected to prior federal proceedings. Media reports citing the released material said email correspondence showed that a message initially sent to someone identified as “The Duke” was later forwarded to Epstein, with attachments including visit reports dated between 2010 and 2011 and references to investment opportunities in Afghanistan.
The released material also included a photograph of Andrew leaning toward a woman whose face was obscured. The time and location of the image were not specified. The photograph appeared on a background screen during testimony by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi before the House Judiciary Committee on Feb.11.
Long-running controversy
Andrew’s association with Epstein has drawn scrutiny for more than a decade.
In 2008, Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in prison on state-level prostitution-related charges. In 2019, he died in custody in New York while facing federal charges of sex trafficking minors.
That same year, Andrew gave a televised interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program to explain his 2010 visit to New York to see Epstein. The interview drew widespread criticism.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, alleged that Andrew sexually assaulted her. Andrew denied the allegation. In the Newsnight interview, he said he did “not recall ever meeting Giuffre” and questioned the authenticity of a photograph showing him with Giuffre and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for assisting Epstein in the sexual abuse of minors.
In January 2022, amid Giuffre’s civil lawsuit, Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages. The following month, the case was settled for an undisclosed sum. At the end of 2025, after additional allegations were reported in Giuffre’s posthumously published memoir, he was stripped of his remaining titles.
Amid mounting controversy, Andrew moved out of the Royal Lodge in Windsor in early February and relocated to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate.
Asked whether Andrew should testify before the U.S. Congress, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “No one is above the law.”
“Anyone who has information should testify, whether it is Andrew or anyone else,” he added.
Buckingham Palace has previously said that if police sought assistance from the royal household regarding related allegations, the palace would “provide support as expected.”
Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. The case remains under investigation.
