London: Former Prince Andrew was released from police custody Thursday evening following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, a move that marks the first time a senior member of the British royal family has been detained in nearly 400 years.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, was photographed departing a police station near his Norfolk home in the back of a vehicle approximately 11 hours after his dawn arrest. Thames Valley Police confirmed he remains "under investigation," a legal status indicating that while he has not been charged, he has also not been cleared of the allegations.

The investigation centres on Mountbatten-Windsor's tenure as Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Detectives are scrutinising millions of documents released by the U.S. Justice Department last month, which allegedly show the former prince shared sensitive trade information with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2010.

"The Law Must Take Its Course"

In a departure from the monarchy’s traditional "never complain, never explain" mantra, King Charles III issued a direct response to his brother's arrest.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,'' the King said in a statement. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.''

The arrest took place at Wood Farm, a residence on the Sandringham Estate where Mountbatten-Windsor recently relocated after being evicted from his longtime home, Royal Lodge, earlier this month. Unmarked police vehicles and plainclothes officers were seen at the property throughout the day as part of coordinated searches at two separate locations.

The Epstein Connection

The misconduct allegation is a criminal matter separate from the civil claims previously brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused the former prince of sexual assault when she was a minor. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied all accusations of wrongdoing and reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability.

Giuffre’s family, who confirmed her death by suicide last year, welcomed the news of the arrest. "Our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty," the family said in a statement. "For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you."

Erosion of Deference

The detention of a king's brother underscores the significant erosion of traditional protections once afforded to the House of Windsor. While Thames Valley Police declined to name the suspect in accordance with standard U.S. and U.K. privacy protocols for arrests, they confirmed the investigation into "misconduct in public office" was initiated following a "thorough assessment" of the recently unsealed Epstein files.

"We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time," said Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright.

With inputs from AP