Along with the investigation into misconduct in public office, detectives continue to assess reports that a woman was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes

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The former prince was seen driving his Land Rover on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk near his new home in Wolferton, after walking his dogs this afternoon(Image: Bav Media)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been seen for the first time since police announced they are investigating him over potential sex crimes, as part of their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office.

The former prince was seen driving his Land Rover Defender car on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk after walking his dogs this afternoon. Andrew, who was wearing a yellow shirt, had not been seen since Thames Valley Police published a new statement on Friday morning revealing the widened probe and appealing for witnesses.

Officers are said to be examining “a number of aspects of alleged misconduct” including sexual wrongdoing and corruption. The original allegations were that he gave commercially valuable information to paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s special trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. Officers, including those specialising in sexual offences, are following several lines of inquiry in the wake of the publication of the Epstein files.

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It is the first time Andrew has been seen since police announced they are investigating him over potential sex crimes as part of their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office(Image: Bav Media)

Andrew, 66, broke cover just hours after the Mirror revealed Buckingham Palace is “actively assisting” police with specific inquiries into allegations the former Prince Andrew committed misconduct in a public office. Sources have revealed that Thames Valley Police has asked to see visitor logs at royal residences linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Detectives have also requested logs of his private protection officers, detailing their shift patterns while protecting the former Duke of York from 2001 and 2010, it is understood. It comes after police widened their inquiry to consider allegations of sexual misconduct, within their probe into potential misconduct in public office.

Mountbatten-Windsor was a special representative for international trade from 2001 to 2011, when he quit amid controversy over his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A source said: “Buckingham Palace is now actively assisting police inquiries, in line with the King’s statement that they stood ready to do so. This is an incredibly sensitive investigation and one in which no stone will be left unturned.”

King Charles said investigators had the family’s support and cooperation, after his brother’s arrest in February and questioning on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home Royal Lodge in Windsor and his then home, Wood Farm in Sandringham, were searched.

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The former Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell posing for a now infamous photo at her London townhouse(Image: US District Court – Southern Dis)

The legal definition of misconduct in a public office can include financial misconduct and sexual misconduct. Police have asked US officials for original copies of the Epstein files. They appealed for victims to come forward and are probing a woman’s claim Epstein flew her to the UK for sex with Mountbatten-Windsor in 2010.

The woman is not British and was in her 20s at the time. Her lawyer, Brad Edwards, has previously said: “We’re talking about at least one woman who was sent byJeffrey Epstein over to Prince Andrew.” Mr Edwards has added that after spending the night with the former prince, the woman says she was given tea and a tour of Buckingham Palace.

Detectives said they would speak to her only if she feels ready. They have told her lawyer that should she wish to report this to police, “it will be taken seriously and handled with care, sensitivity and respect for her privacy and her right for anonymity”. The force added: “We recognise how difficult it can be to speak about experiences of this nature. Any contact with police will be led by her wishes, when and if she feels ready and able to do so.”

Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of abusing her in 2001, took her own life last April. She claimed that aged 17 she was trafficked by Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, and forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor – which he denies. Speaking about the widened probe, Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: “Misconduct in public office is a crime that can take different forms, making this a complex investigation.

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Andrew, who is now living at Marsh Farm, was arrested at nearby Wood Farm on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office(Image: PA)

“Our team of very experienced detectives are working meticulously through a significant amount ofinformation from the public and other sources. We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation into all reasonable lines of enquiry. We encourage anyone with information to get in touch with us through non-urgent channels, such as the Thames Valley Police online portal. The force is supporting national policing in contacting Epstein victims and survivors. It said: “We hope that anyone with relevant information will come forward whenever they are ready to engage with us.” Mountbatten-Windsor vehemently denies any wrongdoing.

SOURCE: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-breaks-cover-37197336