Fall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: From Royal Duty to Epstein Scandal

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, became a focal point of the Epstein files, with multiple accusations tied to his name. His arrest on his 66th birthday marked a major turn in the long-running scandal and connections with s** offender Jeffrey Epstein. Police confirmed he was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office before being released under investigation. The case has also revived scrutiny of his past actions and relationships.

However, it is important to study the timeline to where it all might have begun. To get more information about his involvement in the Epstein files case, London’s Metropolitan Police have also asked the current and former royal protection officers to review anything they may have seen or heard.

The controversy stretches back more than a decade. In 2011, Buckingham Palace announced that Mountbatten-Windsor would step down as a trade envoy. At the time, criticism was growing over his links to Epstein, who had already been convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Allegations escalated in 2015 when Virginia Guiffre, a victim, claimed in court papers that she had been forced to have s** with Mountbatten-Windsor three times, once when she was 17, a minor. However, the former prince has consistently denied all accusations.

In 2019, he attempted to address the issue in a widely watched interview with BBC Newsnight. He said he traveled to New York in 2010 to cut all his relationships with Epstein. Explaining it further, he explained why he stayed at Epstein's home. “It’s a convenient place to say,” he said. Moreover, he described meeting him as “the honourable and the right thing to do.”

He also said he had “no reconciliation of ever meeting” Giuffre, and that the photo of them together might have been fake.

However, the legal pressure continued. In 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit in New York accusing him of assault. The case was settled in 2022 after Mountbatten-Windsor paid millions of dollars, though he did not admit any wrongdoing.

The scandal took a darker turn in April 2025, when Giuffre committed suicide. Months later, in October, King Charles III stripped his younger brother of his royal title. This was followed by renewed public anger over claims made in Giuffre’s memoir.

Some reports also stated that plans are being made to remove him from royal property in Windsor.

As the case developed recently, new evidence was found in January 2026 when the US Department of Justice released documents linked to its Epstein investigation. Some images were made public, which showed the former prince in compromising situations. Meanwhile, other records raised questions about his actions during his time as trade envoy.

His arrest in February 2026 is now the latest development in a case that has steadily ruined his public image. However, he was released the same day after undergoing 12 hours of questioning by the police.

Investigators have said more revelations could follow as they examine the depth of his connection with Epstein.