Politics Insider : Former prince Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office

theglobeandmail.com · Feb 20, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.He used to be a prince who was addressed “His Royal Highness.” But Europe Correspondent Paul Waldie reports that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will be better known now as the first royal sibling to be arrested in nearly 500 years and the biggest name yet to face police questioning over his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest came early today – his 66th birthday – when officers from Thames Valley Police raided his home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. He’d only just moved into a five-bedroom farmhouse on the property a couple of weeks ago, having been evicted by his brother King Charles III from the far more spacious Royal Lodge at Windsor Castle.In a statement, police said the former prince, who is eighth in line to the throne, had been taken into custody on “suspicion of misconduct in public office.” No charges have been laid and Mountbatten-Windsor was released after spending most of the day in custody. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.He’s the first senior royal to be arrested in modern history and the first sibling of a monarch to be hauled away by police since Lady Elizabeth was sent to the Tower of London in 1554 by her half-sister Queen Mary I over allegations that the young royal had participated in a failed rebellion. Elizabeth would later reign for 44 years as Queen Elizabeth I.The last senior royal to be arrested was King Charles I, who was detained in 1647 during the English Civil War by forces loyal to Parliament. He was tried for treason and executed.Sarah Gristwood, an author and royal commentator, said the arrest was certain to cause “long-term, invidious, insidious damage” to the Royal Family and it will likely raise questions about why Queen Elizabeth II didn’t do more to address her son’s failings.Late last year, questions were raised in Canada about the mark Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has left on this country, and what could be done about it.Marie Woolf reported that MPs and senators were saying Canada’s map should be cleansed of references to the disgraced former prince.Also local councils were moving to consider renaming a clutch of streets and topographical features named after him.Open this photo in gallery:Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, younger brother of Britain’s King Charles, formerly known as Prince Andrew, leaves Aylsham Police Station on Thursday.Phil Noble/ReutersThis is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page.What else is going onCanada’s trade deficit narrows in December: The shift has occurred as Canada’s share of exports to the United States dropped to the lowest level on record.Smith to discuss immigration-policy plans in televised address today: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is to speak about immigration, one week before her government is set to deliver a budget expected to show how sliding oil prices have hit provincial coffers.Public plans shouldn’t cover new Alzheimer’s medication: report says: Canada’s Drug Agency, which advises provincial governments on which drugs to cover, says it’s not clear that the expensive therapy provides clinically meaningful benefits.Ottawa shakes up immigration system to bring in military recruits: The federal government is adjusting its main economic immigration program to facilitate the entry of high-skilled military recruits for the Canadian Armed Forces.B.C. health workers breached privacy of Lapu Lapu festival attack victims, privacy commission says: The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner said it was notified of privacy breaches within days of the deadly attack, and an investigation found 71 instances of unlawful “snooping” on 16 victims’ medical records. NDP leadership candidates set for second debate: Hannah Thibedeau, a former journalist, was scheduled to moderate today’s in-person debate in Vancouver and said the leadership candidates will discuss five topics.On our radarPrime Minister’s Day: In Surrey, B.C., Mark Carney met with local law enforcement and later, in Burnaby, cheered on Team Canada’s women’s Olympic hockey team during the gold-medal game.Party Leaders: In her B.C. riding, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke about her role as an MP at a secondary school in Victoria and planned to attend a Valdy concert in the evening. No schedules released for other party leaders.Ministers on the Road: In Mississauga, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne outlined new measures to deal with extortion rings in communities across the Greater Toronto Area, British Colombia and Alberta. In the northern Quebec village of Kuujjuaq, Indigenous-Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty made an announcement related to Inuit communities across Inuit Nunangat. Energy Minister Tim Hodgson is in Paris. Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald are in Mexico leading a trade mission. In Toronto, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly spoke to the Empire Club of Canada about federal support for the defence industry.Quote of the Day“I’d say the Americans are good. We’re better.” - Prime Minister Mark Carney, while in Burnaby, B.C. today, watching Team Canada play the United States in the Women’s Olympic gold-medal matchupQuestion periodIn 1996, this fixture of Canadian change purses and wallets made its debut. What was it?Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.PerspectivesThe time bomb waiting to blow up B.C’s budgetThe Eby government is clearly counting on voters not noticing, or not caring, that it is endangering B.C.’s fiscal stability. Younger voters, who have at best faint memories of the painful fiscal retrenchment of provincial finances a quarter-century ago, may well be indifferent, for the moment.— The Globe and Mail Editorial BoardTrump’s designation of fentanyl as a `weapon of mass destruction’ hangs over Canadian banksThis isn’t just the opinion of a newspaper columnist. It is the conviction of anti-money-laundering experts who warn that Canada’s lenders will face punishing regulatory and legal consequences if they fail to detect illicit financial flows related to the opioid drug and its precursor chemicals.— Rita Trichur, Senior Business Writer and ColumnistMark Carney the political neophyte has some awfully good political chopsWhat we’ve learned from Mr. Carney over the past year is that this political neophyte in fact has some serious political chops. And those chops seem destined to deliver him his majority, either through more floor-crossings or another election.— Robyn Urback, Columnist Go deeperFollow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news developsGet the latest insight and analysis from our political opinion writersGot a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop. The answer to today’s question: The Toonie. It was introduced on Feb. 19, 1996, by public works minister Diane Marleau. In the 1995 federal budget speech, finance minister Paul Martin had announced plans to replace the $2 banknote with a coin.