Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, was taken into custody Thursday in the United Kingdom on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following allegations that he passed confidential trade materials to convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Authorities moved in on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the Sandringham Estate in eastern England early in the morning, coinciding with his 66th birthday. Law enforcement sources said multiple unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers were involved in the operation.

Investigators are examining claims that, while serving as a British trade envoy, Andrew allegedly forwarded sensitive government trade documents to Epstein. If found guilty of misconduct in public office, he could face a sentence of up to life imprisonment.

King Charles III issued a statement expressing “full and wholehearted support” for the ongoing investigation into his brother. The monarch stressed that “the law must take its course,” signaling that the royal household would not interfere with the legal process.

Hours before the arrest, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed the principle of equal accountability under the law. In a BBC interview, he said that “nobody is above the law.”

The arrest marks an unprecedented development in modern British history. Andrew is the first senior member of the royal family in contemporary times to be detained by police. The last reigning monarch to be arrested was King Charles I during the English Civil War in 1647; he was later tried and executed in 1649.

Despite having relinquished his royal duties and military titles amid earlier controversies linked to Epstein, Andrew remains eighth in the line of succession to the British throne. Removing him from that position would require legislation passed by Parliament and the consent of Commonwealth realms where King Charles serves as head of state.

The arrest reignited scrutiny of the broader Epstein scandal and its political ramifications. Nile Gardiner, a former adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, suggested the fallout could destabilize the current government. “This entire scale is pretty big enough to bring down the British government,” Gardiner said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” He added that “there are growing calls for [Prime Minister] Keir Starmer to resign over his handling [of the Epstein case].”

Gardiner further claimed, “You’re seeing the Prime Minister’s top aides going one by one. They’re all stepping down, resigning. It’s only a matter of time before I think Keir Starmer himself is forced to resign over this.” He concluded, “I expect you’re going to see the collapse, actually, of Keir Starmer’s government over this entire scandal. It’s a huge can of worms.”

{Matzav.com}