HELLO! can reveal where the former Duke of York’s daughter was as police prepared to question Andrew over Jeffrey Epstein links

s Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent his 66th birthday in police custody following his shocking arrest, his close family was nowhere to be seen.

The former Prince was questioned at Aylsham police station in Norfolk for 11 hours on Thursday after officers arrived at his home on the Sandringham estate to arrest him on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his ties to the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

There was no sign of Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, nor of his daughters Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, at the property.

Now HELLO! can reveal why Eugenie wasn’t in Norfolk for her father’s birthday.

Skiing in Switzerland

Hours before her father’s arrest, Eugenie was spotted enjoying a half-term skiing holiday in the Swiss resort of Gstaad, alongside her husband Jack Brooksbank, their children August, five, and Ernest, who turns three in May, and a group of friends. The children’s nanny also joined the family.

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Princess Eugenie pictured previously on a ski holiday with son Ernest

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Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank also pictured previously on a ski break

As well as enjoying time on the ski runs, the group stopped for a low-key lunch at a traditional, Alpine style eaterie which sits on the slopes. The restaurant, which serves traditional Swiss dishes like potato rosti and Viennese sausage, has a large sunny deck overlooking the mountains, but the group stayed inside.

Swiss resorts are a favourite with royalty, A-listers and billionaires, with Madonna and Eugenie’s uncle the King among previous visitors. Meanwhile Switzerland is a special destination for Eugenie and Jack, who first met during a ski holiday to Verbier, where Andrew and Sarah used to own a chalet.

“Eugenie and Jack were with the children, the nanny and a group of friends. They were tucked away in a corner and casually dressed in ski gear and jackets, and Jack was wearing a beanie hat as they both browsed the menu,” says a fellow diner who saw the group at lunchtime on Wednesday.

“I was surprised to see her because I thought she would be keeping a low-profile in light of everything that has been going on.”

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Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank first met during a ski holiday to Verbier

Eugenie would not have known about her father’s imminent arrest at the time, and it is not known how long she and the family stayed in Switzerland after the news broke.

Both she and Beatrice are said to be “in a state” after this week’s developments, which saw several police cars arrive at Wood Farm, Andrew’s temporary home on the Sandringham Estate, before he was taken in for questioning. Meanwhile Sarah’s whereabouts are unknown.

Royal arrest in Sandringham

Andrew’s arrest revolves around his time serving as a UK trade envoy, during which time historic emails released by the US Department of Justice in the Epstein files suggest he may have shared sensitive information with Epstein.

Officers from Surrey, Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, the West Midlands, Wiltshire and Scotland have all said they are reviewing information from the files. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his links to Epstein, who died by suicide while in custody in 2019.

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A policeman stands at an entrance to Andrew’s temporary home Wood Farm, where he was arrested earlier in the day

Andrew’s arrest gave police the power to search his homes, and they have spent time this week both at Wood Farm and at Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion in Windsor that Andrew and Sarah recently moved out of. Andrew is staying at Wood Farm while his permanent Sandringham home, Marsh Farm, is being renovated.

Thursday’s arrest was the first time a royal has been arrested in almost 400 years, and prompted a statement from the King, in which he expressed his “deep concern” and insisted the “law must take its course”.

Charles stripped his brother of his Duke of York title in October, as well as his right to be a Prince, amid the ongoing scandal surrounding Andrew’s links to Epstein.