LONDON — The investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has expanded from the mahogany halls of trade offices to the tarmac of Britain’s most sensitive military installations.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has formally urged police to investigate whether the former Prince utilized Royal Air Force (RAF) bases and taxpayer-funded aircraft to facilitate private meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The request, reportedly sent to six separate police forces on Sunday, February 22, adds a grave “misuse of military assets” dimension to the ongoing misconduct in public office probe.
“The public deserves to know if the sovereign’s military infrastructure was weaponized to bypass customs and immigration for a convicted predator,” a source close to the former Prime Minister told The Sunday Telegraph.
The ‘Black Box’ Flights
The allegations center on Andrew’s decade-long tenure as a UK Special Representative for International Trade. Investigators are now scrutinizing flight logs from RAF Northolt—the primary hub for royal and ministerial travel—and RAF Brize Norton.
- The Passenger Manifests: Brown has asked for a forensic audit of flight manifests between 2001 and 2011. There are concerns that “unlisted guests” may have been ferried on RAF-operated charter flights under the guise of official trade business.
- The ‘Customs Bypass’ Theory: Unlike commercial airports, RAF bases offer a level of discretion and security that can bypass standard Border Force scrutiny. Police are assessing whether this was used to move Epstein, or individuals associated with him, in and out of the UK.
- The Taxpayer Tab: Preliminary estimates suggest that Andrew’s official travel during his envoy years cost the British taxpayer over £4 million, much of it spent on private and military flights that are now under the microscope.
A Dragnet Across Eight Forces
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) confirmed today that eight different police forces are now coordinating their efforts in what has become a nationwide dragnet.
The Metropolitan Police has taken the unprecedented step of contacting all of Andrew’s former Personal Protection Officers (PPOs), asking them to “consider carefully” whether they witnessed any unauthorized use of military facilities or suspicious passengers during their service.
“It is inconceivable that his former guards would not have information,” said Dai Davies, former head of Scotland Yard’s Royal Protection Command. “They would have been present for every takeoff and landing, including those at private estates and military bases.”
National Security Implications
The involvement of Gordon Brown elevates the case from a scandal of personal indiscretion to one of national security. Tom Tugendhat, the former security minister, has already called for a “parliamentary treason investigation,” arguing that if Andrew shared confidential trade briefs with Epstein while using military assets, it constitutes a fundamental breach of state trust.
The Cabinet Office has signaled it is ready to hand over a decade’s worth of government documents related to Andrew’s travel and correspondence, should the police make a formal request.
The King’s Silent Approval?
As police continue their search of Royal Lodge, which is expected to conclude on Monday, February 23, the silence from Buckingham Palace has been deafening. By stating that “the law must take its course,” King Charles III has effectively stripped his brother of the “sovereign immunity” that once shielded the family from such intrusive military and police audits.
For Andrew, who remains “released under investigation” following his 11-hour interrogation on his 66th birthday, the walls are closing in. If the flight logs confirm that RAF bases served as a bridge between the British monarchy and Jeffrey Epstein’s network, the charge of misconduct in public office may be only the beginning of his legal reckoning.