Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains under investigation by Thames Valley Police seven months after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, while friends say the former prince is "relieved" to have left Windsor and is now living "effectively in limbo" at Sandringham as detectives seek further evidence from U.S. authorities.
Andrew, 66, was arrested on Feb. 19 and questioned under caution before being released under investigation the same day. Police searched addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk and later confirmed that the inquiry was examining several aspects of alleged misconduct revealed by documents released under the U.S. Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Friends quoted in recent British reports said Andrew has settled into life at Sandringham after leaving Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The Independent reported that people close to him described him as "relieved" to be outside the Windsor environment, while saying the unresolved police inquiry has left him "effectively in limbo."
There are no formal bail conditions or publicly disclosed travel restrictions preventing Andrew from leaving the country. Reports differ, however, over how much he has traveled since his arrest, with some accounts saying he has largely remained at Sandringham and others claiming he has made trips abroad.
A source close to Andrew told The Telegraph that investigators appeared "no nearer" to establishing whether an allegation of misconduct in public office could be proved. That assessment represents the view of an unnamed person close to Andrew, not a statement from police or prosecutors.
Thames Valley Police has said the investigation remains active. Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in May that detectives were "working meticulously through a significant amount of information" and were pursuing "all reasonable lines of enquiry, wherever they may lead."
One central area of scrutiny is Andrew's decade as Britain's special representative for international trade and investment, a position he held from 2001 to 2011. Documents released in the U.S. have prompted questions over whether information obtained through that role was shared with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019.
Investigators are seeking original or unredacted versions of Epstein-related records held in the United States. Thames Valley Police confirmed in May that it was working with the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain information that "may be related to this investigation," while also consulting Britain's Crown Prosecution Service for early investigative advice.
Recent reports say an informal request for some of the U.S. material was unsuccessful and that British authorities subsequently turned to the formal mutual legal assistance process. Such requests can take weeks or months to resolve, and U.S. authorities generally don't discuss their status publicly.
The need for original records could prove important if investigators move beyond examining publicly released Epstein files. Published versions of many documents contain redactions, while prosecutors considering possible charges would need to assess authenticity, provenance and admissibility rather than rely solely on material circulating online.
The investigation is also examining information beyond Andrew's former trade role. Thames Valley Police said it is separately assessing a report that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes. The force said it had contacted the woman's legal representative and would respect her privacy and anonymity if she chose to make a formal report.
"Our door is always open," police said as they urged victims, survivors and anyone with relevant information to come forward. The force hasn't identified the woman and hasn't said that Andrew has been arrested or charged in connection with that separate assessment.
Police have also spoken with witnesses while declining to identify them. Reports in July said detectives were considering traveling to the U.S. to speak with relatives of Virginia Giuffre, including her brother Sky Roberts and sister-in-law Amanda Roberts, though Thames Valley Police has said it doesn't confirm the identities of witnesses while an investigation is active.
Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew denied the allegations and settled Giuffre's civil lawsuit in 2022 without admitting liability. Her family publicly welcomed his February arrest while acknowledging that the misconduct investigation was not itself based on Giuffre's sexual-assault allegations.
