Police investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are looking into an allegation that he behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot in 2002, according to the Sunday Times. The incident is said to have occurred during the five-day racing event in Berkshire, which Queen Elizabeth II attended as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Thames Valley Police (TVP) confirmed on Friday that their investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor is broader than previously understood, covering sexual misconduct. He was arrested on his 66th birthday in February and questioned under caution on suspicion of misconduct in public office, relating to his role as a trade envoy.
A TVP spokesperson said: 'We cannot go into specifics of the investigation, but we are following all reasonable lines of inquiry.' The force has appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about alleged sexual misconduct, corruption, fraud, or sharing of confidential information involving the king's brother.
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested after allegations emerged from US Department of Justice documents that he passed information to Jeffrey Epstein. He denies all wrongdoing. TVP is also assessing a claim from a woman in the US that she was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes, though this is not yet a full criminal investigation.
The force faces challenges including establishing whether Mountbatten-Windsor's trade envoy role falls under misconduct in public office rules, and obtaining original Epstein documents from US authorities, who have requested a formal international legal assistance request.
