Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was recently arrested on his 66th birthday and questioned for 11 hours at Aylsham police station on suspicion of misconduct in public office. This development comes amid persistent scrutiny of his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Police searches were subsequently carried out at his former residences, Royal Lodge and Wood Farm, as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations that he shared sensitive information, including confidential trade reports and investment opportunities, with Epstein during his tenure as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment between 2010 and 2011.

Further intensifying the legal pressure, Perry Wander, a Beverly Hills lawyer representing an Epstein victim, has urged British prosecutors to consider charging Andrew with alleged sex trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Mr. Wander's client alleges that Andrew introduced her to Epstein at Windsor Castle and actively encouraged her to spend time with the billionaire, including travel on his private jet, infamously dubbed the 'Lolita Express.' The client, who later received a payout from the Epstein estate, claims she confided in Andrew about being 'treated inappropriately' by Epstein, to which he reportedly replied he 'wasn't surprised' because someone else had made a similar accusation. Mr. Wander asserts that under Section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which penalizes arranging or facilitating travel for exploitation, a 'reasonable basis would exist to conclude that criminal liability for sex trafficking could be established,' especially given Andrew's alleged encouragement and facilitation of travel combined with knowledge or foresight of sexual exploitation.

Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied all claims of wrongdoing. However, new allegations have emerged since his arrest, including a photograph of him on all fours over a mystery woman during a 2010 trip to Epstein's New York apartment. Additionally, it is claimed that his right-hand man, David Stern, joked about having sex on Epstein's island, and that Epstein attempted to broker a deal for Andrew that could have yielded a £1 million advance. A retired civil servant has also alleged that Andrew expensed massages and excessive travel costs while serving as a trade envoy, a claim that was reportedly 'overruled' by senior staff despite objections. Andrew is currently preparing to move into Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate, where workmen have been spotted installing a security fence.

The Royal Family has reacted to Andrew's arrest, with King Charles issuing an 'unprecedented statement' expressing his 'deepest concern' and declaring that 'the law must take its course,' affirming full support and cooperation with the investigation. Internationally, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has written to Sir Keir Starmer, indicating his government's support for any proposal to remove Andrew from the line of royal succession. US lawyers, including Jack Scarola, believe Andrew may escape justice in the US due to a 'deliberate cover-up,' while Gloria Allred criticized the apparent prioritization of state crimes over allegations of sexual abuse against women. Congressman Suhas Subramanyan has offered to travel to the UK to depose Andrew under oath, emphasizing that Andrew 'has lied before' and that 'Epstein's victims deserve justice.'

In a separate but related development, French police have released new, disturbing images from Jeffrey Epstein's 18-room Paris flat on Avenue Foch. These photographs, taken during a 2019 investigation into alleged rapes by Epstein's associate Jean-Luc Brunel, reveal a dimly lit room with a masseuse table, 'massage devices,' and numerous photographs of naked women used as decoration. One image shows Epstein himself lying next to two topless women. The flat, purchased in 2001, was lavishly decorated in red, orange, and pink, featuring animal ornaments like a bearskin rug, ram and antelope horns, stuffed vultures, and an elephant calf. Workman and a butler who spent time in the apartment previously testified to seeing many photos of young girls arranged 'like family photos,' raising concerns about their age. The flat was sold for over £7 million in 2022, and French prosecutors have opened two new investigations into alleged financial crimes and human trafficking related to the property, hoping the released images will encourage more victims to come forward. At least three women have reported abuse by Epstein or his associates on French soil.

Moreover, newly released documents from the US Department of Justice suggest Epstein may have been involved in drug trafficking. A heavily redacted 2015 memo from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) indicates an investigation into Epstein and 14 unidentified individuals for nearly $50 million in suspicious wire transfers, believed to be linked to 'illicit drug and/or [adult work] activities' in the US Virgin Islands and New York City. The five-year probe began in 2010, two years after Epstein's non-prosecution agreement with the federal government, with prosecutors reportedly unaware of this earlier DEA investigation.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also weighed in forcefully on the Epstein scandal, expressing 'revulsion' at what has been uncovered and criticizing Britain's alleged role in enabling exploitation. Brown, who pursued documents related to Peter Mandelson's communications with Epstein, stated that if Mandelson had leaked market-sensitive documents to Epstein, it would be 'a betrayal of everything we stand for as a country.' He sent a five-page memorandum of evidence to six police forces and called for Andrew to be questioned. Mandelson, the de facto deputy prime minister in Brown's government, was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following Andrew's arrest, though he denies any wrongdoing. Brown's activism underscores the deep moral outrage and persistent demand for accountability surrounding the Epstein network and its alleged enablers.