King Charles III has broken his silence on his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest.
The former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England on his 66th birthday on Thursday. He is currently in custody.
Reacting to the news, the King said in a statement that he has "learned with the deepest concern" about his brother's arrest.
"What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities," the statement reads. "In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation."
He continued, "Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all. Charles R."
Earlier this month, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson revealed the King's "profound concern" about the allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor regarding his association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The spokesperson said the British monarch was "ready to support" a police investigation.
Thames Valley Police had previously said it was assessing reports that Mountbatten-Windsor had shared confidential information with Epstein in 2010 while serving as the U.K.'s trade envoy.
In the Epstein files, emails appear to show the former prince sharing details of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
Mountbatten-Windsor moved out of his Royal Lodge home in Windsor and into his brother King Charles III's privately-funded Sandringham Estate earlier this month.
In recent years, he has repeatedly and strenuously denied having sex with late accuser Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager, and they reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022. The agreement contained no admission of guilt.
Addressing the arrest, Giuffre's siblings said in a statement shared with CBS News, "At last, today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty... For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you."
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in his jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Giuffre died by suicide in April last year, aged 41.
