Britain's Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it is now offering early investigative advice to police forces examining Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein.

The CPS is assisting the Metropolitan Police Service in its inquiry into a 72-year-old man and Thames Valley Police regarding a 66-year-old man, according to a statement provided to the BBC. Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew and brother of King Charles III, fits the description of the latter. The development comes months after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Thames Valley Police arrested Mountbatten-Windsor on February 19, 2026, his 66th birthday, at his home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Officers held him for 11 hours at Aylsham Police Station before releasing him under investigation without charge. The force searched two properties linked to him: Royal Lodge in Berkshire, his former residence, and his current Norfolk home. Searches at Royal Lodge continued into the following weekend.

The allegations stem from recently released U.S. Justice Department files on Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died by suicide in 2019. Documents revealed an email in which Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to forward Epstein a confidential report from his special adviser about a Southeast Asia visit. This occurred during his tenure as Britain's trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. Police are assessing whether he shared classified trade information with Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor, stripped of his royal titles last year, has denied any wrongdoing in his association with Epstein. He settled a 2021 civil lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was 17, for an undisclosed sum in 2022 but has consistently rejected her claims. No sexual offense allegations form part of the current police probe.

The Metropolitan Police is separately contacting former protection officers who served Mountbatten-Windsor, asking what they saw or heard relevant to the Epstein files review. No new criminal complaints of sexual offenses have been reported to them.

A similar investigation targets Peter Mandelson, the former UK government minister and ambassador to the U.S., arrested earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct for allegedly passing market-sensitive information to Epstein. Communications between both men and Epstein were published by U.S. authorities.

King Charles III expressed his "deepest concern" after the arrest, stating the law must take its course and pledging full cooperation with authorities. The incident marks the first arrest of a senior British royal in nearly 400 years, drawing widespread media attention and scrutiny on the monarchy.

Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright noted the significant public interest and committed to updates at appropriate times. Mountbatten-Windsor remains under investigation, with no charges filed to date.