SANDRINGHAM, United Kingdom – Britain’s royal family was thrown into crisis Thursday after former prince Andrew was arrested by police and held for hours, in a blow to the monarchy unprecedented in modern British history.
The disgraced royal was detained early Thursday on suspicion of misconduct for his links to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As Andrew marked his 66th birthday on Thursday, police swooped on the remote Sandringham royal estate in eastern England around 8:00 am.
King Charles III, who has promised police the full support of Buckingham Palace, swiftly issued a rare personally signed statement insisting: “The law must take its course.”
It was a humiliating new blow for Andrew, who was last year stripped of his titles and ousted from his Windsor residence of more than two decades.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement late Thursday: “The arrested man has now been released under investigation.”
A photograph published by media showed Andrew slumped in the back of a car, staring wild-eyed ahead.
While the earlier police searches in Norfolk “have now concluded,” they were still searching a property in Berkshire, police added. It is believed that is Andrew’s former residence, Royal Lodge.
“It’s a hugely significant moment for the British monarchy, and indeed the nation,” royal expert Ed Owens told AFP.
“We are witnessing a monarchy, I think, shaken by recent events.”
In the sleepy village of Sandringham near the royal estate, an off-duty police officer said he was “very satisfied some formal action was taken.”
