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Police
appeal for information about alleged sexual misconduct in Andrew investigation
Thames
Valley police believe more witnesses may be out there in inquiry into alleged
misconduct in public office by former prince
Vikram
Dodd Police and crime correspondent
Fri 22
May 2026 06.00 BST
Police
investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor want witnesses to contact them if they
believe they have information about alleged sexual misconduct, corruption,
fraud or the sharing of confidential information involving the king’s brother.
In a sign
of the potential expansion of their “unprecedented investigation”, Thames
Valley police vowed to rigorously investigate claims against the former Prince
Andrew.
Mountbatten-Windsor,
66, was arrested and questioned under criminal caution in February on suspicion
of misconduct in public office, related to his role as a British trade envoy.
He is
alleged to have passed information to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein,
according to claims arising from the documents released by the US Department of
Justice. The former prince denies all wrongdoing.
Assistant
chief constable Oliver Wright said Thames Valley police (TVP) were already
working through a “significant amount” of information from a range of
witnesses.
But the
force is concerned that people who may have information about criminal offences
wrongly think detectives are interested in only one narrow aspect, namely the
alleged passing of confidential information.
Stoking
their concerns about other potential allegations are a series of claims about
the former prince’s conduct already made publicly, such as in the media. Police
have not yet been contacted by witnesses they believe may be out there.
Police
stress that misconduct in public office (MIPO) covers a range of offences,
including sexual misconduct, wilful neglect of duty, perverting the course of
justice, and dishonest or fraudulent conduct, among many others.
Wright
said: “Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms,
making this a complex investigation.
“Our team
of very experienced detectives are working meticulously through a significant
amount of information that has come in from the public and other sources. We
are committed to conducting a thorough investigation into all reasonable lines
of inquiry, wherever they may lead.
“We
encourage anyone with information to get in touch with us through the normal
non-urgent contact channels, such as the Thames Valley police online portal.”
It is
understood information has already or will be obtained from the royal household
and government departments, such as those involved in the former prince’s
appointment as a trade envoy. Detectives are expected to seek documents and
witnesses about what was expected from the trade envoy role in terms of
behaviour and ethics.
TVP are
also expected to seek information from the Metropolitan police, which assessed
claims against the king’s brother twice and declined to investigate. The Met
provided his armed bodyguards while he was officially a working royal, a status
he lost amid the outrage over his friendship with Epstein.
The TVP
investigation includes detectives with expertise in sexual offences. The force
is still assessing a claim from a woman that she was taken to an address in
Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes. It is not a full criminal investigation
yet. The woman lives in the US and detectives have contacted her through her
lawyer.
Wright
said: “We have engaged with the woman’s legal representative to confirm that,
should she wish to report this to police, it will be taken seriously and
handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for
anonymity.
“We
recognise how difficult it can be to speak about experiences of this nature,
and any contact with police will be led by her wishes, when and if she feels
ready and able to do so.”
Wright
said police would listen and investigate “when she feels ready and able … to
come forward and talk to us”.
The
investigation is expected to be long, with no criminal trial until 2027 if it
were to produce evidence to support criminal charges.
Three
British forces are conducting full criminal investigations triggered by other
revelations in the Epstein files, with several others assessing claims about
flights linked to the disgraced financier entering the UK.
Police
investigating the former Prince Andrew believe obtaining the original Epstein
documents is “hugely important”. Currently they and other UK forces have only
printouts from the DoJ website. US authorities have declined to hand the
original documents over and told British police to submit a formal
international legal request for assistance, which could take months, if it is
agreed to at all.
As well
as the TVP investigation into Mounbatten-Windsor, the Met is investigating
Peter Mandelson for misconduct in public office, and Surrey police this week
announced they were investigating claims of historic child sexual abuse arising
from the Epstein files.
After
Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrests, police conducted a short search of his Norfolk
home and a week-long search on the Windsor estate where he lived for decades.
Materials seized are still being examined.
One key
aspect for police is obtaining evidence proving that the former prince’s role
as a trade envoy is covered by MIPO rules.
Police
have held early discussions with lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service,
which authorises criminal charges in England and Wales.
TVP have
not officially named Mountbatten-Windsor as the man they arrested in February.
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