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  "path": "/royal/home-office-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrest-king-charles",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-19T18:09:57.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "King's appearance at Fashion Week following Andrew's arrest leaves onlookers",
    "Princess Anne visits prison just hours after Andrew taken in for questioning",
    "New polling delivers damning verdict as all royals see their popularity drop",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nGovernment sources have confirmed to GB News that the Home Office was aware of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest in advance.\n\nIt can be revealed that Labour Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s office was briefed by a senior officer from Thames Valley Police early on Thursday morning.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThere is no formal protocol for police to notify the Government of any high-profile arrests they intend to make.\n\nThe People's Channel understands that King Charles and Buckingham Palace were not warned that his younger brother was to be arrested by officers from Thames Valley Police.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe King’s brother is the first senior member of the Royal Family to be arrested in modern times.\n\nMr Mountbatten-Windsor remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.\n\nThe former prince is accused of sharing sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.\n\nHis brother, the King, said “the law must take its course” after expressing his “deepest concern” over the arrest, which came after millions of files were released by the US Department of Justice in relation to the Epstein scandal.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links.\n\nThames Valley Police previously said the force was reviewing allegations after emails released as part of the trove of documents appeared to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore with the disgraced financier.\n\nMr Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on Thursday, on his 66th birthday, followed pictures of officers in attendance at his home on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, with police seen gathering outside Wood Farm.\n\nIn the afternoon, several police officers were standing nearby, close to a private entrance to the estate.\n\nSearches have also taken place at the Royal Lodge, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home in Windsor, Berkshire, where multiple vans carrying uniformed officers arrived on Thursday afternoon.\n\n### LATEST ROYAL DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * King's appearance at Fashion Week following Andrew's arrest leaves onlookers\n  * Princess Anne visits prison just hours after Andrew taken in for questioning\n  * New polling delivers damning verdict as all royals see their popularity drop\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Prince and Princess of Wales are understood to support the King’s statement, which read: “As I have said before, they (the police) have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.\n\n“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”\n\nThe King carried on with his duties as monarch in the wake of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest by continuing with his planned ambassadorial in-person audiences in the Throne Room at St James’s Palace.\n\nHe was later met with questions about his brother while arriving at an engagement in the Strand area of central London, hours after issuing his statement.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nCharles did not respond to questions.\n\nThe Queen also did not respond after being asked: “Are you concerned about Andrew’s arrest, your majesty?” during an engagement in Westminster.\n\nMr Mountbatten-Windsor remains in the line of succession – he is eighth in line to the throne, having gradually moved down after being born second in line.\n\nSeveral police forces across the UK are assessing information released as part of the Epstein files document dump.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOfficers from Surrey, Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, the West Midlands, Wiltshire and Scotland have all said they are reviewing information.\n\nOn Wednesday, the Met said it was also looking at allegations that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's protection officers turned a “blind eye” to his visits to Epstein’s island, Little St James.\n\nThe National Crime Agency said it was supporting UK forces in their Epstein files probes.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Home Office informed of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest in advance but not King Charles"
}