A convoy of police has arrived to search Royal Lodge in Windsor as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has now spent more than six hours in custody on his 66th birthday following his arrest after a raid on Sandringham today.
The former Duke of York can be questioned and held without charge for 24 hours from the moment he arrived at a police station on Thursday morning.
With Andrew’s current location being kept secret, multiple sources have confirmed that King Charles was not warned in advance that his younger brother was to be arrested by officers from Thames Valley Police.
The monarch has said in an unprecedented statement that ‘the law must take its course’ after expressing his ‘deepest concern’ after his younger brother was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Charles III revealed that the police will have his ‘wholehearted support and co-operation’.
Calling for a ‘full, fair and proper process’, the King added: ‘My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all’.
The disgraced former Duke of York was held on his 66th birthday today and is in custody at a secret location after a morning raid on his new Norfolk home was first revealed by the Daily Mail.
Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate – Andrew’s new home – is currently being searched by Thames Valley Police along with his former mansion, Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Multiple sources claim the King was not informed in advance of the operation by detectives.
A convoy of three police officers arrive to help with the search of Andrew’s former home, Royal Lodge, Windsor
Police outside Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where Andrew was held
A convoy of cars was seen driving close to Wood Farm in Sandringham shortly before it was revealed that Andrew had been arrested. He is in custody on his 66th birthday
King Charles seen at Clarence House today. He has said that the police investigating his brother will have his ‘wholehearted support and co-operation’
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on his birthday and is in police custody. He can be held for 24 hours without charge
Charles said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace at Midday: ‘I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.
‘What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
‘Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.
‘As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all’.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to support the King’s unprecedented statement following the arrest of William’s uncle Andrew at Sandringham on Thursday.
The King is due to appear at London Fashion Week this afternoon. Queen Camilla was on an engagement in the capital this morning.
Thames Valley Police arrested Andrew, the eighth in line to the British throne, on suspicion of misconduct in public office this morning.
The Daily Mail was the first to reveal plain-clothes police, carried in six unmarked vehicles, had arrived at Wood Farm, where Andrew now lives, at 8am this morning.
A convoy including at least two royal Land Rovers linked to Andrew was photographed leaving the estate less than an hour later. His arrest was confirmed at 10.08am.
For the past ten days detectives have been probing his conduct as a trade envoy for the UK after emails in the Epstein Files suggested he shared confidential information with his paedophile friend including reports of his official visits and potential investment opportunities.
The unprecedented statement from the King after his brother’s arrest where he said he supported the police’s action and that he and the Royal Family would co-operate fully
SOURCE: DAILYMAIL
