Disgraced ex-Prince Andrew was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly forwarding confidential trade documents to pedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein.
At least six unmarked police cars and around eight plain-clothed officers swooped on the king’s brother’s Sandringham Estate in eastern England early Thursday — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s 66th birthday.
If convicted on the misconduct charge, the former prince faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
One officer was seen carrying a police-issued laptop after arriving at Sandringham at around 8 a.m., with the cars leaving around 30 minutes later.
Police also searched a separate property in Berkshire, the force said, without directly identifying the king’s brother, citing strict UK laws.
Andrew remains in custody, a Thames Valley police spokesperson said.
Andrew was reported to Thames Valley Police earlier this month over alleged misconduct in public office following complaints that documents in the Esptein files allegedly showed he’d shared trade docs with the convicted sex offfender.
Trade envoys must keep details about their trips confidential – even when they are no longer in post under the Official Secrets Act.
King Charles III previously acknowledged “profound concern” over the allegations and vowed to help any police investigations into his younger brother.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Thursday that “nobody is above the law” when quizzed about Andrew voluntarily speaking with cops.
“I think that’s a matter for the police,” he told the BBC.
“They will conduct their own investigations, but one of the core principles in our system is that everybody is equal under the law and nobody is above the law.
“It’s a very important principle of our country… and it has to apply in this case in the same way it would in any other case.”
Andrew’s arrest also comes after a slew of UK police forces said they were investigating evidence within the trove of Department of Justice-released files.
A total of 87 flights linked to Epstein arrived or departed from UK airports from the early 1990s to 2018.
Andrew was initially investigated over long-running claims by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre that she was made to have sex with him three times — starting when she was 17 — on orders from Epstein and his madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Andrew was never charged and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
However, he paid millions of pounds to Giuffre in a civil settlement, while denying wrongdoing. He also lost his royal duties and titles over the scandal of his close friendship with Epstein and Maxwell.
Andrew has been repeatedly urged to testify about his links to Epstein in front of a congressional committee.