00:00We begin with the stunning arrest today of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
00:04We have late word that Andrew has been released after spending most of the day in police custody.
00:09Police in Britain arrested the former prince this morning in connection with accusations that he shared confidential information with Jeffrey
00:16Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy.
00:19Now, for years, Andrew has been embroiled in scandal for his association with the late sex offender, and he was
00:25stripped of his royal titles last year.
00:27In a statement, King Charles said he supported the investigation of his brother, adding, quote, the law must take its
00:33course.
00:34Let's cross right to our correspondent in London, Benedicte Pavio.
00:37Benedicte, let's start with this breaking news word that Andrew has been released.
00:41What can you tell us?
00:45Yes, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested this morning around local time, 8 a.m.
00:51in his new residence, a private residence of the king on the Sandringham estate, has now been released.
00:58He's been, he's left police custody following this arrest this morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
01:07The former prince was photographed reclining in the back of a black Range Rover, which came to collect him,
01:13leaving Eilsham Police Station, and that was soon after we spoke, so soon after 1900 GMT.
01:20Thames Valley Police have issued a statement.
01:23They provide this update following this arrest this morning and now release.
01:30The force says Thames Valley Police is able to provide this update in relation to an investigation
01:35into the offence of misconduct in public office.
01:39On Thursday, we arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of this misconduct in public office.
01:46And here's the interesting sentence.
01:48The arrested man has now been released under investigation.
01:53We can also confirm that our searches in Norfolk have now concluded.
01:57That means that the current home search is over.
02:01But we can also, it's understood that police searches in Berkshire are still underway.
02:06Now, that is the former home on a royal estate, and that is near Windsor.
02:14And, of course, we know that Andrew lived there for over 20 years,
02:18and that he was rushed out at night under cover of darkness,
02:22very much ordered to, instructed to by the king, his older brother.
02:28And I think that was very much to try and get away from the attention of the media.
02:31Because what has been happening is that this scandal of the Epstein files,
02:36this release of the last tranche, particularly of emails by the DOJ,
02:41the American Department of Justice,
02:42has been completely overshadowing the work done day in, day out,
02:47by the king, by the queen, by the heir to the throne, Prince William,
02:50by his wife, Catherine, and others.
02:53So, Thames Valley police have told us this evening in this statement,
02:57they will not be making any further statements at this time.
03:01So, he's left under investigation, presumably,
03:04wanting to go back to his current home on that Sandringham estate,
03:08after a bruising, I would imagine, 11 hours.
03:11Police cell probably had his DNA taken,
03:13probably had his mugshot taken, a photo,
03:16and may have been fingerprinted,
03:18like any other person who would be arrested in those circumstances.
03:21He is not above the law,
03:23as indeed Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister,
03:27had mentioned earlier today.
03:29I'm not sure you can answer this, Benedique,
03:31but what should we read into this,
03:32the fact that he's been released,
03:34and the possibility that he could still face charges in this case?
03:41Oh, he could very much still face charges.
03:45It's interesting.
03:46I mean, we had no word,
03:48and the king apparently wasn't told in advance.
03:50We've learnt a short while ago that the Home Office,
03:54so what is the Ministry of the Interior,
03:56was told by Thames Valley Police before
03:59that they were going to be arresting the former Prince Andrew.
04:05But it is not clear at the moment if he is going to be charged,
04:09if indeed, you know,
04:11there is a particular line of question that he's been put under.
04:14We simply don't know that.
04:16We don't have those facts.
04:17He may have been told that he must not leave the country.
04:20So although we have the start of this very public arrest today
04:27and this release under investigation,
04:28this could take weeks, it could take months,
04:31and it is important to underline that this arrest has to do
04:34with his role from 2001 to 2010 as a UK trade envoy,
04:40representing the UK government, the United Kingdom,
04:43across the world on these various business missions.
04:46And the allegation, as seen in leaked emails in that last tranche a few weeks ago
04:51by the DOJ in America,
04:54of him, then Prince Andrew,
04:57forwarding very confidential, highly sensitive market information,
05:03financial information analysis by the British team,
05:08the British delegation, and the British government
05:10about financial interests, financial possible future investments,
05:18whether it's in Singapore, in Afghanistan, and other countries.
05:23And this is a complete breach of trust.
05:25Since being UK trade envoy,
05:26you are held in a very high position
05:29and therefore you have very confidential government documents
05:34that are forwarded to you.
05:35They are not meant to be forwarded to anybody else outside government.
05:39And the allegation is that he sent those
05:41to the convicted, sexual, now dead, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
05:46So for the moment, this arrest is not directly linked at all
05:49to the multiple allegations
05:51that he, then Prince Andrew,
05:54had any encounters, sexual or other,
05:57with Virginia Dufresne, his main accuser,
05:59or indeed any other trafficked girls
06:01by the same Jeffrey Epstein.
06:04Very embarrassing, very grave.
06:06We have no idea where this is leading
06:09and this is totally unprecedented
06:11and embarrassing, uncomfortable
06:12for the monarchy and indeed for the country.
06:16Really a surreal day.
06:17Our correspondent in London, Benedict Pavia.
06:19Benedict, thank you for bringing us that breaking news.
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