<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> have returned to the homes of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/prince-andrew" rel="" target="" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor"><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor</span></a><span> to continue searching for evidence a day after the former prince was arrested.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The brother of King Charles III was </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-donald-trump-reaction/53cace65-7e54-4dad-af47-5afc553a2eec" rel="" target="_blank" title="taken into custody"><span>taken into custody</span></a><span> on his 66th birthday yesterday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was arrested at his new home at the King's Sandringham estate in Norfolk on the east coast of the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="_blank" title="UK"><span>UK</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><strong><span>AS IT HAPPENED:</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="_blank"><strong><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leaves police station after being arrested</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The house in Norfolk as well as Mountbatten-Windsor's former home at Royal Lodge in Windsor remained a focus for detectives on Friday after the former prince was released without charge following 11 hours in the custody of Thames Valley Police Force.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police previously said they were "assessing" reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent trade information to Epstein, a wealthy investor and convicted sex offender, in 2010, when the former prince was Britain's special envoy for international trade.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-uk-police-continue-search-of-royal-homes/d269f6aa-b17b-4842-b3d2-2df9de9617e2" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Correspondence between the two men was released by the US Justice Department late last month along with millions of pages of documents from the American investigation into Epstein. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,'' Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest was not in relation to Epstein's abuse of girls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested/2ef8aaa2-1c2f-44ce-99ce-699dfce90936" target="_blank"><strong><span>What is 'misconduct in public office', the offence Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested over?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Senior members of Britain's royal family continued to work on Thursday whilst Mountbatten-Windsor was in custody.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The King issued a statement soon after his brother's arrest, declaring his support for police to carry out their investigation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,'' the King said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.''</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The scrutiny of Mountbatten-Windsor has grown in recent years as the extent of his close friendship with Epstein was gradually revealed. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was formally removed of all of his royal styles and titles late last year and forced to move out of Windsor Castle after it was revealed he had lied about cutting off his relationship with Epstein after the paedophile financier was first jailed for abuse charges.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-legal-expert-explains-whether-former-prince-could-be-charged/90f86e73-c47c-4069-9271-de9e59d5a8ef" target="_blank"><strong><span>Could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor face charges? An expert says the process is difficult</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>A 'spectacular fall from grace'</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is the most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times," said Craig Prescott, a royal expert at Royal Holloway, University of London, who compared it in severity to the crisis sparked by Edward VIII's abdication to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And it may not be over yet,'' Prescott added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thursday's arrest came a day after the National Police Chiefs' Council said it had created a group to assist forces across the Uk that are assessing whether Epstein and his associates committed crimes in Britain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition to the concerns about Mountbatten-Windsor's correspondence, documents released by the US suggest Epstein may have used his private jet to traffic women to and from Britain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>- Reported with Associated Press</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><p><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w"><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine"><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></p></li></ul></div></div>