Virginia Giuffre’s family have expressed relief and gratitude following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Thursday morning, saying the move proves that “no one is above the law – not even royalty.”
The former Duke of York was taken into custody by Thames Valley Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with officers arriving at Woodfarm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. The arrest is unrelated to the allegations Ms Giuffre made before her death.
In a statement, the family said: “On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the UK’s Thames Valley Police … He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.” Ms Giuffre died in April last year, aged 41, after alleging she was trafficked to Andrew by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The pair reached an out-of-court settlement reportedly worth £12 million in 2022, which did not constitute an admission of wrongdoing. The current investigation centres on claims that Andrew shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as UK trade envoy.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles III has expressed his “deepest concern” over the arrest, adding that “the law must take its course.”
