• Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct.
• Allegations involve sharing confidential documents with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Arrest occurred on Mountbatten-Windsor's 66th birthday.
• King Charles III emphasized that "the law must take its course."
• The investigation follows the release of documents related to Epstein's case.

Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, amid rising scrutiny over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The arrest coincided with his 66th birthday and follows allegations that he may have shared confidential government documents with Epstein during his service as a trade envoy for the UK from 2001 to 2011, according to Channel News Asia, Al Jazeera, SCMP, CBS News, India Times.

The arrest was made by Thames Valley Police, who executed searches at Andrew's residence on the Sandringham Estate as part of their investigation. A previous assessment had indicated that he forwarded sensitive trade information to Epstein as recently as 2010, prompting renewed investigations after the release of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to LA Times, AA, and Independent.

In a statement, King Charles expressed "the law must take its course," highlighting his support for a fair investigation process. He stated, "What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated," reflecting the royal family's commitment to cooperate with authorities, as reported by CBS News and BBC.

Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright, from Thames Valley Police, confirmed the opening of an investigation into the allegations, emphasizing the need to protect the investigation's integrity. The police are also assessing claims related to allegations of human trafficking involving a woman allegedly brought to the UK at the request of Epstein, according to India Times and Reuters.