Thames Valley Police are investigating an allegation that the Duke of York 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 was attended by Queen Elizabeth II in her Golden Jubilee year.
The force confirmed on Friday that its inquiry into the duke, who was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, is wider than previously thought and also covers sexual misconduct. A spokesperson said: 'We cannot go into specifics of the investigation, but we are following all reasonable lines of inquiry.'
It is unclear whether the Royal Ascot claim was reported at the time or more recently. The duke, who denies all wrongdoing, was arrested after allegations emerged from US Department of Justice documents that he passed information to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Officers searched his Norfolk home and the Windsor estate.
Thames Valley Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about alleged sexual misconduct, corruption, fraud or sharing of confidential information involving the king's brother. The force is also assessing a separate claim from a woman in the US that she was taken to a Windsor address in 2010 for sexual purposes, though this is not yet a full criminal investigation.
Challenges facing the investigation include establishing whether the duke's role as a trade envoy falls under misconduct in public office rules, and obtaining original Epstein documents from US authorities, who have requested a formal international legal request.
