when was the last royal arrested

The most recent royal to be arrested is Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, who was taken into custody on 19 February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with his dealings as a former UK trade envoy and his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Quick Scoop

What just happened?

• Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor was arrested on the morning of 19 February 2026 at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.

• Police say the arrest is tied to allegations of misconduct in public office during his time as a UK trade envoy (2001–2011), in the broader context of the long‑running Epstein scandal.

• He was detained and then released while investigations continue; at this stage, details of the specific evidence behind the arrest have not been fully disclosed.

Why is this such a big deal?

• This is being described as the first arrest of a senior British royal in modern history, and commentators note that you have to look back to the 17th century and the downfall of King Charles I to find anything comparable.

• Royal brushes with the law are extremely rare; for example, Princess Anne was fined in 2002 after her dog attacked two children, but she was not arrested, which underlines how unusual Andrew’s case is.

Historical context: “last royal arrested”

If you mean strictly “before Andrew, when was the last time a British royal was arrested?”:

• Modern outlets are pointing back more than 350 years, to Charles I being seized by Parliamentary forces in 1647 during the English Civil War, as the last clear precedent for a reigning or senior British royal being taken into custody.

• That’s why Andrew’s arrest is being framed as the first of its kind in nearly four centuries, even though the political and legal context today is obviously very different.

How forums and discussions are reacting

Online discussions and forums are:

• Debating whether this marks a turning point for how the law treats royals, with many users contrasting Andrew’s arrest with past royal scandals that ended only in fines or quiet settlements.

• Sharing historical trivia threads about previous royal arrests, often circling back to Charles I and older episodes of nobles and royals being imprisoned during rebellions or power struggles.

TL;DR:
The last royal to be arrested is Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor (former Prince Andrew), detained on 19 February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, in a move widely described as the first arrest of a senior British royal in nearly 400 years, with the previous comparable case being King Charles I in 1647.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.