Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was sensationally arrested over misconduct in public office allegations and the cops in Norfolk needed careful planning to carry it out
Cops had Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in their sights “for days” and deliberately swooped on him on his birthday, it has emerged.
Staff at Aylsham Police Investigation Centre, where he was taken and held, were told not to come in on Thursday (February 19). It is also thought that the disgraced 66-year-old was the only person processed that morning and was served a single cup of Yorkshire Tea while in custody.
Anyone that did turn up at the station, which is around 50 minutes from Sandringham in Norfolk, was informed that a “notable person” was being hauled in. The feeling inside the centre was described as “eerily quiet”.
A source told The Sun: “This raid was planned days in advance and the fact they knew it was his birthday and went ahead shows they were doing their jobs properly – policing without fear or favour. It shows nobody is above the law.”
They revealed that custody at Aylsham offers two very different types of tea – the bland vending machine variety or the proper stuff brought in by officers. “There’s two types of tea at Aylsham: Yorkshire Tea the cops take in for themselves and bland, tasteless vending machine tea. What you get depends on how the officers on the day feel.”
They suggested that Andrew would almost certainly have been given the better brew if he stayed calm, pointing out that, “after all, he’s just a suspect, not a criminal. But that means he would have been given Yorkshire Tea.”
The source also noted the ironic twist of him drinking a royal-warranted tea supplied to his brother. “It’s hard not to see the irony that he was left sipping on a royal brew warranted by his brother. You couldn’t make it up.”
Planning for the arrest had been meticulous. Officers had to know exactly who they were detaining days ahead, which also meant they were aware it would fall on his birthday.
“Officers knew exactly who they were going to arrest days in advance – they had to, so they could plan it. But that also means they knew they were going in on his birthday.”
Reflecting on the unprecedented nature of the operation, the source admitted: “I’ve never heard of an arrest like it. But then there has never been one like this.”
Norfolk Police are believed to have forced a county-wide shutdown of their internal IT system to prevent leaks about when, where, and how the eighth in line to the throne would be held.
Experts warn Andrew may have to wait at least a year to learn whether he will face charges for misconduct in public office.
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