British police search Royal mansion Andrew occupied before losing title, getting arrested

British police on Friday searched an official residence occupied by Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor before he lost his royal title last year and was arrested Thursday in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. 

The residence is the Royal Lodge mansion, on the estate surrounding Windsor Castle.  Mountbatten-Windsor occupied the residence until he was stripped of his title in late December 2025 by King Charles III, his brother.

He was arrested over allegations of misconduct in public life, purportedly for having shared confidential government information with Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. 

Mountbatten-Windsor was released from custody 11 hours after his initial arrest.

He has denied wrongdoing but has not spoken publicly or responded to requests for comment in recent months, has not been charged.

Mountbatten-Windsor stayed at the Royal Lodge until earlier this year, when he moved to a smaller property on the royal estate in Sandringham, Norfolk.

British police have not provided specifics about the investigation. Misconduct in public office occurs when someone working on behalf of the British public “willfully neglects to perform their duty” or “willfully misconducts themselves” in abuse of public trust. The charge theoretically carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Until Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, no senior royal family member had been arrested in connection with a serious crime since the 17th century.