<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was reportedly his mother </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/queen-elizabeth-ii" rel="" target="" title="Queen Elizabeth II's"><span>Queen Elizabeth II's</span></a><span> favourite, but the former </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/prince-andrew" rel="" target="" title="prince Andrew"><span>prince Andrew</span></a><span> has long been a headache for </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="" title="Britain's"><span>Britain's</span></a><span> </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/royal-family" rel="" target="" title="royal family"><span>royal family</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-police-arrive-at-home-amid-jeffrey-epstein-investigation/8b871351-30b7-4202-99e6-04169219b5d6" rel="" target="" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday"><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday</span></a><span>, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office in an inquiry stemming from his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. He is the one senior British royal in modern history to be detained by police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was born a prince in 1960, the second child of the queen and her husband Prince Philip. His elder brother Charles was destined for the throne. Andrew took a tried-and-tested route for younger royal sons: military service.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-live-updates-latest-news-headlines/9fe3f636-cf46-4094-97aa-04f98f733ac2" target="" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested"><strong><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain's special representative for international trade and investment in 2001. The current police investigation stems from that period. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It follows documents in recently released Epstein files that suggest Andrew passed on official government documents to the late financier when he was a trade envoy. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The former prince has not been charged with a crime. He has long denied any wrongdoing more than his Epstein links.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbattenwindsor-arrested-former-prince-went-from-helicopter-pilot-to-trade-envoy-to-royal-pariah/0cdc2b58-f42d-4c9c-9dbf-071825b3cb5f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mountbatten-Windsor was forced to step down from the trade role in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Once a subject of media fascination for his love life, the man the tabloids dubbed "Randy Andy" became a regular source of headlines because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including Epstein, the American financier and convicted sex offender.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After Epstein was arrested again in 2019, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC's </span><em><span>Newsnight</span></em><span> program, in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-what-happens-next-explained/9ae0c863-69ce-49c6-aa94-700e060cc516" target="" title="What happens next after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested"><strong><span>What happens next after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It backfired – he was widely criticised for giving unbelievable explanations and for failing to show empathy for Epstein's victims.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on November 20, 2019, that he was giving up public duties and charity roles "for the foreseeable future".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In August 2021, one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Giuffre, sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Andrew ultimately settled the case for an undisclosed sum. While he didn't admit wrongdoing, Andrew did acknowledge Giuffre's suffering as a victim of sex trafficking. </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/prince-andrew-accuser-virginia-giuffre-dies-us-media-reports/e8bd50ba-fd19-4164-afa0-c02b0ec72412" rel="" target="" title="Giuffre died by suicide in Western Australia April 2025"><span>Giuffre died by suicide in Western Australia April 2025</span></a><span>, aged 41.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-timeline-of-events-between-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein/952378da-ce1f-43b9-a97f-d518d7e156ad"><strong><span>Timeline of events that led to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That was not the end of the story. After emails emerged last year showing Andrew remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously claimed, King Charles III stripped his brother of his princely title and other honours and his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now he is also in police custody.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He remains eighth in line to the British throne.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).</span></strong></div></div>