Police in eastern England took Prince Andrew into custody Thursday morning on suspicion of offenses committed while he held public office. Authorities transported the man in his seventies from Farm Wood in Sandringham using six unmarked vehicles and eight plainclothes officers, according to British media reports.

Thames Valley Police opened the probe earlier this month after U.S. government files surfaced alleging Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, shared sensitive government papers with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges.

The arrest caps weeks of escalating fallout for the 65-year-old royal. Buckingham Palace announced on October 28 that King Charles III had revoked all his brother’s royal titles, including “Prince,” and required him to leave Royal Lodge in Windsor. Palace officials stated Andrew would now go by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following his earlier surrender of the Duke of York title earlier that month.

Andrew has denied any improper conduct tied to Epstein. He has voiced regret for their friendship but offered no comment after the latest U.S. documents emerged. BBC reporting indicated he had relocated from Windsor Castle to the Sandringham property as questions mounted.

Officers followed standard protocol by withholding the suspect’s name. Thames Valley Police confirmed the detention details without further elaboration. The force launched its inquiry after reviewing the newly public files, which reportedly substantiate the leak accusations.

Epstein’s 2019 death halted his trial on charges he ran a sex trafficking network involving underage girls. Andrew settled a civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers who alleged the prince sexually abused her at age 17. He paid an undisclosed sum without admitting liability.

The palace move marked a rare internal reckoning for the House of Windsor. No prior monarch had stripped a sibling of core titles in this manner. Pressure built from public outcry and media coverage of Andrew’s Epstein visits, including flights on the financier’s private jet and stays at his properties.

King Charles III’s decision came days after the U.S. released additional Epstein-related court documents. Those papers named prominent figures but offered no new direct evidence against Andrew beyond prior known associations. Investigators now examine whether the alleged leaks violated official secrets laws.

British police emphasized the probe remains active. They urged witnesses with information to come forward. Andrew’s legal team has stayed silent since the arrest.