Thames Valley Police has confirmed that allegations of misconduct in public office relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remain at the “assessment” stage, with no decision yet taken on whether to open a full criminal investigation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the force said it is leading an ongoing assessment into material contained within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein files.
Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said: “We can confirm today (11/2) that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office.
“This specifically relates to documents within the United States Department of Justice’s Epstein Files.
“As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS.
“We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.
“During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required.
“Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor case still under police assessment as no criminal probe decision made
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“While we cannot provide timescales over when a decision as to whether a criminal investigation will be opened, we can assure you that Thames Valley Police is making progress as quickly as possible.”
The confirmation provides procedural clarity after earlier remarks by Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson.
He said prosecutors were in close contact with both the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police regarding potential misconduct in public office allegations linked to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
At this stage, however, police have not confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched.
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Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges, including one involving a minor, in 2008 and served 18 months in prison | GETTY
The force emphasised that the current work relates only to alleged misconduct in public office arising from documents contained in the US Department of Justice files, and that it would not offer a running commentary on the process.
During an assessment phase, officers examine available material to determine whether the threshold for a criminal offence is met and whether a formal investigation should be opened.
No suspect status has been confirmed, and no charges have been brought.
Misconduct in public office is a common law offence that requires prosecutors to demonstrate that a public officer wilfully neglected to perform their duty or wilfully misconducted themselves to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust.
Andrew was stripped of his royal titles last year | GETTY
Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing in relation to his association with Epstein.
He stepped back from public duties in 2019 following widespread criticism over his ties to the convicted sex offender.
The latest update from Thames Valley Police indicates that while discussions with specialist CPS prosecutors are ongoing, a decision on whether the matter progresses to a full criminal investigation remains pending.
