Could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor go to prison under UK law? How former prince may end up behind bars as police probe claims he shared trade information with Epstein

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could be sent to prison if he is convicted of allegations relating to Jeffrey Epstein that are now being assessed by police.

Andrew Lownie, author of biography ‘Entitled’, insisted there were ‘good grounds’ for the disgraced royal to be investigated and charged with misconduct in public office.

Life imprisonment is the maximum sentence for convictions of the offence, covering serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the office held.

Thames Valley Police officers are now assessing suggestions that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Epstein.

There is nothing in the law stopping Andrew from being criminally prosecuted and jailed, given Charles is the only Royal Family member who has sovereign immunity.

Mr Lownie told the Daily Mail today: ‘There are good grounds to investigate Andrew on sex trafficking – plenty of evidence now of women trafficked to him including at Royal Lodge – and misconduct in public office for sharing confidential information to business associates. There is a stronger case against him than Mandelson.’

But when asked whether Andrew could go to jail, Mr Lownie suggested he might flee to another country. He said: ‘Assuming the Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency do bite the bullet and investigate Andrew and they then say there are grounds to charge him, he’ll be off to a country without an extradition treaty with UK. 

‘The last thing the Royal Family want is a trial airing their dirty laundry and the fact they have ducked dealing with Andrew for years. He was protected by the Queen and that has continued. His royal relative King Juan Carlos scarpered to Dubai as soon as corruption charges levelled against him.’

Andrew could move to Abu Dhabi, where he is said to have been offered a 16,000 square foot palace by friend UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 

The King has told of his ‘profound concern’ at the allegations, with palace officials saying they ‘stand ready to support’ the police if approached over the claims.

Mr Lownie has previously claimed Andrew could go to prison over the allegations against him by the late Virginia Giuffre, which the former prince has always denied. 

In 2002, Princess Anne became the first Royal Family member to be convicted of a criminal offence when she was fined £500 after one of her dogs bit two children.

Anne also became the family’s first member to have a criminal record after admitting a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act over the incident in Windsor, following the case brought as ‘Regina v Laurence, Anne Elizabeth Alice’ – mother v daughter.

She also had several convictions for speeding, all dealt with without the embarrassment of a court appearance – in 1972, 1977, 1990 and 2000. 

Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall was banned from driving for six months in 2020 for doing 91mph in a 70mph zone.

Going back centuries, King Charles I was beheaded in 1649 for tyranny and treason after the English civil war. 

And in 1586, Mary, Queen of Scots was executed after being convicted over the ‘Babington Plot’ plan to assassinate her cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

Now, the reignited crisis involving Andrew which has engulfed both the monarchy and Westminster has shown little sign of abating since the US authorities released millions of documents associated with paedophile financier Epstein on January 30.

The palace has not so far been approached by Thames Valley Police over the claims which relate to Andrew’s time as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment.

But the fresh trove of documents released by the US Department of Justice has sparked a string of allegations against Andrew and led to police launching an investigation into Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office.

Among the claims are that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and also that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter’s Florida home.

The latest allegation is that Andrew shared confidential reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore in his role as the UK’s trade envoy.

One email, dated November 2010, was forwarded by Andrew just five minutes after being sent by his then-special advisor, Amit Patel.

The former duke made the visits in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010, conducting meetings and trade talks.

Additionally, on Christmas Eve 2010, Andrew looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand province in Afghanistan.

The messages come after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Andrew previously told BBC’s Newsnight in 2019 he had cut off contact with the convicted paedophile in December 2010 during a visit to New York.

On February 9, 2011, Andrew told Epstein he had visited a private equity firm the week before and ‘thought of you’ as the financier, who was reportedly ‘looking for somewhere for money to go’.

Official government guidance underscores that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information.

‘This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits,’ the guidance read.

‘This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply.’

The former duke served as the UK’s special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.

Vince Cable, business secretary at the time, told the BBC of the emails: ‘I was unaware of Andrew… sharing information about investment opportunities [in Afghanistan] before, this is the first I’ve heard of it.’

Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, confirmed to the Daily Mail that he had reported the allegations to police.

The former duke features a number of times in the latest release of documents, including images apparently showing him crouched over an unidentified woman in what appears to be Epstein’s New York mansion.

In 2022, the former duke paid millions of pounds to Ms Giuffre, his main accuser, despite claiming never to have met her.

The King later stripped him of his titles following the posthumous release of a book by Ms Giuffre, who alleges she was trafficked by Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, at the age of 17.

In the latest statement from Buckingham Palace yesterday, a spokesman said: ‘The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.

‘While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect.

‘As was previously stated, Their Majesties’ thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time yesterday, with Kensington Palace saying they were ‘deeply concerned’ at the ‘continued revelations’ and that their thoughts ‘remain focused on the victims’.

The comment from Buckingham Palace came after the King was heckled for the second time in a week about Andrew.

He arrived at Clitheroe train station yesterday morning to greet crowds at the start of an awayday to Lancashire, when a man shouted: ‘How long have you known about Andrew?’

The rest of the crowd booed after the question was asked.

Just hours later, Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing claims that Andrew shared confidential reports with Epstein.

Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt has called on the King to publicly make clear that Andrew should testify before US congress over his links to Epstein, and to support removing his brother from the line of succession.

Mr Hunt said: ‘The royals are rattled and rightly so, with the statement from William and Kate failing because it contains warm words, but no hard action.

‘It’s now time for King Charles to make clear publicly that he believes Andrew should testify before US lawmakers and that legislation needs to be passed to remove his brother as eighth in line to the throne.

‘If he doesn’t, Charles runs the risk of his reign being remembered as one where the British monarchy failed to properly support Epstein’s victims.’

Andrew, who was stripped of his titles by the King last year, has always denied any wrongdoing and last week finally left Royal Lodge for the King’s private Sandringham estate, with Charles personally funding his new life with an annual stipend.

The King also faced heckling on a visit to Dedham, Essex, last week, when a man shouted: ‘Charles, Charles, have you pressurised the police to start investigating Andrew?’

Kensington Palace’s statement is the first time the views of the prince and princess have been known on the scandal.

William arrived in Saudi Arabia for the start of his solo three-day tour of the Middle East country yesterday, spending his first day with the Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Ahead of the visit, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘I can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continued revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.’

Much of the work of the Royal Family in recent weeks has been overshadowed by the ongoing Epstein scandal, despite the King’s attempts to draw a line under the matter when he banished Andrew in October by stripping him of his right to be a prince and of his dukedom.

The Duke of Edinburgh was the first member of the Royal Family to publicly speak out since the Epstein documents were released, saying last week in Dubai that it was important to ‘remember the victims’ when asked how he was ‘coping’.

William and Kate supported the King’s decision to strip his brother Andrew of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style, a move that ended his public life.

The couple also shared the sentiments of the Buckingham Palace statement at the time, which said: ‘Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.’

In 2022, the late Queen stripped her son Andrew of his honorary military roles and he gave up using his HRH style, in a dramatic fallout from the civil sex case brought by Ms Giuffre, who died last year from suicide.

Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, which he vehemently denies, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Epstein.

Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her. He has always denied any wrongdoing.