Prince Andrew, born Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released "under investigation," according to multiple media reports, a development that has revived scrutiny of his past associations and prompted fresh claims-unverified but widely circulated-that he could attempt to leave the United Kingdom amid mounting legal pressure.
The arrest, which reportedly coincided with his 66th birthday, places the Duke of York once again at the center of controversy tied to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. British police have not announced formal charges. Under U.K. procedure, release "under investigation" allows authorities to continue inquiries without imposing bail conditions.
Tabloid outlet RadarOnline has claimed Andrew is being treated as a potential "flight risk," with Abu Dhabi cited as a possible destination. "If Andrew manages to flee somewhere like Abu Dhabi, it will make investigating him further very difficult," one unnamed source told the publication. Law enforcement officials have not publicly confirmed any such designation.
The renewed focus follows a late-January release of additional Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice. Within those materials, a German-born businessman, David Stern, appears more than 7,400 times. The filings describe Stern as corresponding with Epstein over several years, including after Epstein's 2008 conviction and after Andrew publicly stated he had severed ties.
In a 2016 email included in the released materials, Stern wrote to Epstein, "I am always on your team!" He also referred to Epstein as his "boss" and a "good friend." Other messages reportedly show Stern updating Epstein on Andrew's movements, using the abbreviation "PA" to refer to the former Duke of York.
The documents indicate Stern accompanied Andrew on trade missions in September and October 2010 to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shenzhen while Andrew served as the U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The emails suggest Stern arranged meetings during those visits, raising questions about whether introductions were routed through Epstein.
Stern later became a director of Andrew's Pitch@Palace initiative in 2016 and was photographed at an event at St James's Palace seated near Queen Elizabeth II. In response to speculation about proximity to the monarch, Sir Claude Hankes wrote in an email: "To suggest as you do... that Mr Stern is a contact of the Queen is absurd. The Queen does not have contacts, believe me. How anybody could have thought this defies logic. He may be known to the Duke of York."
Additional correspondence shows Stern securing "short notice" approval for Karyna Shuliak, then identified as Epstein's girlfriend, to visit Buckingham Palace in April 2016. Epstein replied, "I appreciate what you have planned," to which Stern responded, "My pleasure. I am always on your team!!"
Andrew "has always denied wrongdoing" related to Epstein. The present inquiry appears focused less on public statements than on documented logistics-emails, travel itineraries and introductions-that investigators may view as clarifying the scope of interactions.
