This week has been full of surprises for Prince Andrew and the people keen to protect him. For the past few months, royalists have been diligently minimizing Andrew’s decades of criminality and preparing the public for Andrew to get away with everything. Then, this week, the British government released a cache of documents related to Andrew’s time as a British trade envoy, and those documents do not paint a pretty picture of Andrew, his mother or the Labour government at the time (Tony Blair was prime minister at the time). Still, it’s been months since we heard anything about the police and prosecutors possibly building a case against Andrew following his February arrest on the Sandringham estate. Now it looks like investigators are broadening their scope, and investigating Andrew’s “alleged” trafficking crimes alongside his alleged financial and espionage crimes.
Police are probing claims of sexual misconduct allegedly carried out by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Cops have widened their inquiry into his ten years as UK trade envoy and are also assessing claims of fraud, corruption, bullying and perverting justice. The CPS may charge him with misconduct in public office, for stand-alone offences, or both.
The former prince was arrested at his Sandringham home on his 66th birthday, February 19, then released under investigation. Police urged alleged “victims and survivors” of his pal Jeffrey Epstein to talk to them. Thames Valley Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright’s appeal came as it emerged the force’s inquiry into Andrew’s time as trade envoy is now far wider in scope. Andrew’s arrest was initially believed to be focused on commercially-sensitive information he is alleged to have provided to Epstein.
Yesterday ACC Wright said: “There’s a number of aspects of alleged misconduct that the investigation is examining. We are speaking to a range of witnesses and want anyone with information to get in touch with us.”
Specifically addressing “victims and survivors” of Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking offences, the top cop said: “We really hope they will come forward . . . I really want to stress that our door is open.”
He said the investigation is “continuing at pace” with experienced and specialist officers working on the inquiry.
Sex crimes investigators and dedicated fraud and financial crime specialists are among the Operation Ironville team. Mr Wright described the inquiry as “complex”, adding: “It is not going to be a quick investigation by any means.”
Officers are in contact with the Royal Household and liaising with the Government’s business and trade department to which Andrew would have reported as the UK’s special trade envoy from 2001-11. The police team is also in touch with US legal authorities to obtain original Epstein Files material. More than three million documents and videos connected to the paedophile financier have been released by the US Justice Department since December. But it is understood UK police forces, including Thames Valley, have yet to receive any material.
Several women have alleged that Epstein provided them to Andrew for sex. The Epstein Files appeared to show Andrew passing on details relating to royal visits and investment opportunity briefings, and also putting in a good word for him while on an official trip. The widened police probe is examining other potential aspects of misconduct in public office, which carries a maximum life sentence. As well as sexual misconduct, fraud, corruption and financial impropriety, cops may also assess whether Andrew abused or bullied anyone under his care and supervision while trade envoy.
One of the things which the Epstein File documents made clear is that everything is connected. These criminal issues are not siloed – Andrew was using his position as Britain’s trade envoy to pass along classified information to Jeffrey Epstein and Epstein’s associates. As payment for this information, Epstein trafficked girls and women to Andrew. Was it always a cut-and-dry quid pro quo? No, but there’s enough documentation to prove a huge connection. Not just documentation from the Epstein Files, but the evidence gathered by Gordon Brown, who poured through flight records and private-airport data. Brown has also encouraged the authorities to investigate the credible trafficking claims by using any and all records of the trafficking victims being brought onto and into royal properties.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- The Duke of York attends a service at Crathie Kirk, Balmoral in Scotland, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.,Image: 721406690, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Milligan / Avalon
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- Sarah, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew arriving for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral, central London. Picture date: Tuesday September 16, 2025. This is the first Catholic funeral service held for a member of the royal family in modern British history. Katharine, the wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, converted to Catholicism in 1994.,Image: 1037851176, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- Prince Andrew arriving for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral, central London. Picture date: Tuesday September 16, 2025. This is the first Catholic funeral service held for a member of the royal family in modern British history. Katharine, the wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, converted to Catholicism in 1994.,Image: 1037851355, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- London, UK, 16th Sep 2025. Prince Andrew chats to clergy. HRH King Charles III, The Prince and Princess of Wales Prince William and Princess Catherine, Anne the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew The Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Michael of Kent and other senior members of the Royal Family all pay their last respects as the coffin is carried to the hearse. They then depart from Westminster Cathedral after the a requiem mass, a Catholic funeral service held for the Duchess of Kent, who passed away on 4 Sep.,Image: 1037876812, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter/Avalon
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- Todays front pages with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,Image: 1071161923, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoffrey Swaine/Avalon
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- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest on all of todays front pages of the papers,Image: 1076662239, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoffrey Swaine/Avalon
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- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest on all of todays front pages of the papers,Image: 1076662261, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoffrey Swaine/Avalon
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- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest on all of todays front pages of the papers,Image: 1076662277, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoffrey Swaine/Avalon
How long are they going to wait to bring charges? Is Charles going to arrange Andrew to only get a ‘slap on the wrist.”?
Charles does not have the power many people think he has. The ultimate authority in the UK is Parliament. The police do not take instructions from the Palace. Charles cannot arrange anything. This police investigation will proceed according to law. With people like Gordon Brown involved there will be no cover-up.
It’s really good that gathering all this incriminating evidence against him will take a couple of years. Because when it goes to the court, for consequences to be had, William needs to be the king. Andrews lawyers will do everything to bring King Charles into the case and that will negate it – the charges are being brought “in the name of the king” but if Charles had knowledge of anything, then andrew’s lawyers will argue since the king is involved a fair trial cannot be had. It’ll be tossed. That’s what they want.
(It happened to paul burrell – the butler who stole Diana’s stuff. The queen said she knew he was taking some things, so courts were forced to throw the case out)
William has barely had anything to do with Andrew. He was about 12 when all this was happening, so he can’t be dragged into the case. Thus there isn’t prejudice and it appears more fair. If William is king when he trial takes place andrew could really see some consequences.
I don’t think Scooter will do a thing…He was an adult when Andrew gave that interview and the FBI wanted to speak to him.
William will not be involved, even if he was King. Charles also had no involvement in Andrew’s appointment as a UK Trade Envoy. It was the late Queen who pushed for Andrew to be given this position without the usual investigations. One consequence of the current criminal investigation could be a move for greater transparency and accountability in the way the monarchy operates and is managed.
William was an adult and very much in the loop when Andrew was forced to surrender his royal offices in 2019, the year a whistleblower contacted the royals about Andrew and his moneyman David Rowland’s exploits.
Scooter won’t do a thing because he’s got his own Epstein problems. The megayacht Opera that Scooter and his family cruised on last summer is owned by Abdullah bin Zayad al Nayhan, who is/was apparently a big-time mutual buddy of Epstein and Prince Andrew. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/06/andrew-vouched-for-epstein-on-state-visit-to-uae-with-queen
Andrew is a test case. The authorities will work with the brf, what Andrew is guilty of is to varying degrees and iterations what they are ALL guilty of.
With every revelation via the press throughout the “investigation” they will note public reaction and plan accordingly how to protect William. This exercise is to clear the way for William’s spotless reign because that is how he needs to be seen. Charles cleaned house in his own way before taking the crown. This is Williams way. All smoke and mirrors nothing is truly transparent or moral. No justice will be served unless it coincides with what serves William.
They may be expanding the investigation but does anyone hold out hope that he will be held accountable or is this more of the same and he will get away with it.
My hope and it’s a thin one is that this is setting him up to make a deal in which he squeals like a pig. No one thinks he’ll ever face consequences but maybe we have some ethical, ambitious prosecutors who want to see their name in the history books for taking down a global cabal. Let’s get these dominoes falling!
That’s not how the law works in the UK.
So then how does the law work and what’s the point of this investigation against someone who they already know is teflon?
No ambitious prosecutors in the UK?
Too little, too late for Virginia Giuffre.
And a countless number of other victims we don’t know the names of or if they are even still alive.. it’s heartbreaking and it has shattered my belief that any government will do the right thing.
I also think that it’s rather unfair to put the burden of investigating/prosecuting the case on the witnesses, victims etc who have very important reasons for not wanting to be publicly known. The UK police are essentially saying “Come forward, help us do our jobs.” No. Prove that you will actually do something about Andrew, as opposed to the many times any hint of investigating him was closed without doing anything….and prove that your contributions will not result in information being passed on to random civil servants, UK secret services, and the BRF…and only then should the victims believe that coming forward may actually result in justice for Andrew
@Lady Esther – I had the same thought when I read that. I can imagine people being afraid to come forward because the government certainly hasn’t demonstrated that they will be taken seriously or protected. As you say, they need to do their damn job and demonstrate that they can be trusted to take this seriously.
Remains to be seen if this results in actual punishment for him
Victims need to sue the Royals as an entity as seek those properties as compensation/relinquish them for premises liability .
The royals cannot be sued ‘as an entity’.
Well, why not? They are certainly an organization/body in relation to the government, identified as the Crown Estates as recipients of the sovereign grant. They are a discrete (in terms of numbers, not behavior…!) collection of individuals who receive taxpayer funding (so absurd!!!). They used that funding to support and then protect their bad behavior. I would hope some clever lawyering could do something there. Maybe never *has* been done, but is that to say it can’t be?
My apologies.
Someone needs to do the work and determine what happened where, and who owns those properties.
Hit them in the wallet.
I’m too cynical to believe this will ever result in a criminal trial because the scandal of protecting Andrew goes back years and involves the institution, government and police. It’s too sensitive and, unfortunately, there’s definitely one rule for “them” and another for the general public.
No one anywhere thinks Andrew or any of the big name players will ever face real consequences. My hope as I said above is that the investigation will reveal details about other players who can be convicted. Apparently UK law doesn’t allow plea bargaining? So that’s disappointing but I truly cannot fathom the point of an expensive a resource draining investigation unless it’s to get dirt on people who can be convicted.
Peeling back the layers is apparently revealing the rot within. Fingers crossed 🤞 we’ll see some accountability.
@KELLYSAYS. The Sovereign Grant is paid directly to the King. Those who officially support the King, the so-called ‘working royals’, receive no direct payment from the government. The members of that group are chosen by the reigning monarch. There is a wealth of information about the various historic agreements relating to the financing of the official work of the monarchy. The ‘Sovereign Grant Act 2011 Guidance’ explains the current position. Parliament is the ultimate ruling authority in the UK, not the King.
the RF is a pack of nasty narcissistic people — feels like folks need jail, not palaces.
crazyoldlady (don’t be so hard on yourself), you nailed it!
No surprise the trump admin hasn’t cooperated with the British on this. Everything they’re looking into Andrew for could be exactly the same as for trump–sex trafficking, passing on classified info, money laundering, intimidation, etc.
Any expansion of this case is good news, however cynical we feel about it.
At least one government is investigating. Our DOJ is all about covering it up.
Gotta love this bit:
“Specifically addressing “victims and survivors” of Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking offences, the top cop said: “We really hope they will come forward . . . I really want to stress that our door is open.””
Ok, great — so please explain it to me like I’m a five year old: how exactly does that track with your King and Queen flat refusing to meet with Epstein survivors whose name have already been made public, and who recently specifically requested such a meeting?
Not to mention, those names are publicly available, why can’t the UK cops reach out to those witnesses?
It just seems desperately performative, hypocritical, and bad-faith representation of what the real goal is here.
@IdlesAtCranky The King and Queen cannot get involved in meetings with victims and potential witnesses in a criminal case. They will have been advised by the UK authorities not to discuss what is an ongoing criminal investigation in the UK.
Buckingham Palace is said to be actively cooperating with the police enquiries and supplying information the police have asked for including visitor logs from Royal Lodge and details of the duty rotas for the protection officers assigned to him. Decisions about prosecution will be made by the Crown Prosecution Service , an independent government department which advises the police and prepares cases for prosecution.
The CPS does not conduct prosecutions. The system is very different to the US system. If the CPS decides a case can be prosecuted they instruct a barrister who will represent the prosecution in court. Andrew will have his own lawyers who will also instruct a barrister to present his defence in court. There is no such thing as ‘plea bargaining’ in UK law and the case will be decided by a jury. If Andrew is found guilty of any criminal offence the Judge will follow sentencing guidelines and will explain the reasoning for the sentence.
The current UK Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, is a former Director of Public Prosecutions. As Prime Minister he has weekly meetings with the King. Charles will be following his advice. Buckingham Palace has issued a statement from the King promising full cooperation with the police enquiries.
@AnotherLily — two things:
One, you are straight up regurgitating Palace talking points. That’s your prerogative, but let’s be honest about it.
Two, while US-style plea bargaining is not the way the UK system functions, there are absolutely UK equivalent practices, including charge reduction in exchange for a guilty plea:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plea_bargain?wprov=sfla1
The UK has a system of reducing sentences if a defendant pleads guilty before trial. These reductions are not ‘plea bargaining’. There is a ‘Guilty plea calculator ‘ published by the Sentencing Council. The Sentencing Council publishes the formula for all circumstances where there can be reductions in sentence, including a guilty plea. A search will bring up detailed information which is more reliable than a simple wiki search . In some high profile trials the sentencing is shown on TV. The Judge will carefully explain the method by which he or she has arrived at a sentencing decision before formally passing the sentence.
There is also provision for increasing a sentence if the prosecution feels the sentence was too lenient. In these situations the case is brought back to court. In a recent rape case where the perpetrators pleaded guilty they were given non-custodial sentences. A public outcry has followed and the case is now likely to be returning to court for reconsideration of sentence. There is a very wide difference between the US and the UK in the way criminal cases are prosecuted.
They better be interviewing Andrew’s protection officers and the Embassy staff who had to organize his trips
Lock him up already. Enough investigations for this one-man crime wave. Lock him up.
I don’t think Epstein just supplied Andrew with underage girls. I also think he paid Andrew for the information he received. This goes back to the “how the heck are royals supposed to make a living if you’re not the king or the heir”? Answer, they don’t make much of one unless they have side gigs. This was Andrews.
Most of the royals have substantial inherited money which is invested and can provide an income. Living on income derived from land ownership and inheritance has always been the historical basis of the nobility and, to a lesser extent, those identified as ‘gentry’. Andrew has a pension from his 20 year military service and also has the basic state pension. He almost certainly will have some additional income from investments. It is highly probable that Charles pays some expenses for Andrew including staff salaries. What Andrew has in the way of capital is anybody’s guess but he will have substantial capital investments.