LIVE: Andrew released as Royal Lodge search continues

A number of unmarked vehicles believed to be police cars have been entering Royal Lodge today as searches continue following Andrew’s arrest.

Last night Thames Valley Police said searches in Norfolk at Andrew’s new home in Sandringham had concluded but that activity in Berkshire was still continuing.

Police were seen entering Windsor’s Royal Lodge, Andrew’s home of more than 20 years, yesterday following news of his arrest.

Earlier this morning, two police officers were seen leaving the front gates leading to Royal Lodge in Windsor, as a helicopter circled the property.

Unmarked vans, believed to be police vehicles, have been entering the grounds throughout Friday morning.

New disturbing photographs of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor playing with a mystery toddler and a ball resembling a woman’s breast inside Royal Lodge emerged today.

The bizarre pictures, apparently taken in 2011 at his grand Berkshire royal home, capture Andrew kneeling and talking to the little boy who is clutching a so-called ‘boob ball’.

In a further image the toddler is shown picking up the lewd sphere off the plush dark wood parquet floor.

The then Duke of York is also shown grinning with the child on a sofa in pictures published for the first time just hours after his arrest by police following a raid on Sandringham.

Royal Lodge is currently being searched by officers investigating the former prince, who was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office on Thursday. He was bailed after 11 hours in custody.

A wedding is taking place at a chapel in Windsor Great Park while a helicopter circles nearby Royal Lodge and members of the media gather outside the gates.

As police continue their searches at Andrew’s former home in Berkshire, guests are celebrating a marriage less than 500ft (150m) away at the Royal Chapel of All Saints.

The chapel, which is also known as Queen Victoria’s Chapel, was used as a place of worship by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and was where one of Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice, married.

The helicopter, believed to be linked to the media, prompted some upset among members of the public entering Windsor Great Park, with some commenting on its disruptive noise.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor spent the majority of his 66th birthday in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The former prince was released on Thursday evening after 12 hours, following a police swoop that morning at his new home in Sandringham, Norfolk.

The King, Andrew’s elder brother, issued a statement declaring his ‘full and wholehearted support’ for the police – adding: ‘The law must take its course.’

Andrew was previously second and is now eighth in line to the throne.

He has been stripped of his royal titles, but some suggest he should now be taken out of the line of succession.

What do you think? Vote here in the Daily Mail’s latest poll:

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been urged to give up his place as eighth in line to the throne following yesterday’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said the former prince should be removed from the line of succession if he is found guilty of the offence, and pushed him to do so voluntarily.

The shadow Scotland secretary, told GB News:

I think it would be the decent thing. Of course, if he’s found guilty of this, I think Parliament would be well within its rights to act to remove him from the line of succession.

But, let’s remember, he’s not been found guilty of anything just yet – he has yet to be charged with anything. So we have to let the police investigation run its course, and I think we should all act accordingly subsequent to that.

People living close to Andrew’s new home at Sandringham have described him as a ‘scapegoat’ as they reacted to his arrest today.

A resident of Dersingham, near the King’s estate, described his reaction to the former duke’s arrest on Thursday morning as ‘difficult’.

He said:

I’d say there’s no smoke without fire, is it? They’re certainly hounding him, alright. Obviously there’s something to look at.

Bricklayer Jamie Jackson told The Times:

My mum and my nan all follow [the royals] — anyone my age doesn’t care. I don’t know anyone that supports him round here.

Luke Schrier, 47, added:

I just think Andrew needs to go. If we went back 200 years ago, he’d have been beheaded. It’s an embarrassment to England because this is going to be worldwide.

But Magda Hope, 67, told the newspaper:

I do feel very sorry for him because he’s the scapegoat. They make an example of him when there’s so many others. What’s happening with Mr Trump?

And a retired teacher from King’s Lynn, who did not give his name, added:

I think it’s a bit of a witch-hunt, but he’s horrible.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said there should be a full statutory inquiry following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Asked for his reaction to the arrest while he was campaigning in Gorton, Greater Manchester, Mr Polanski said:

I think it’s pretty awful. I think there are lots of questions to be asked.

We obviously need to wait for the legal process to make its way, but I would say we really need a full statutory inquiry into public figures from institutions, where crimes have been committed – if they’ve been committed – what we knew, what other people in those institutions knew and, where necessary, to make sure that the appropriate people are removed.

Mr Polanski said he did not believe the country should have a monarchy.

He said:

The monarchy are doing a pretty good job in themselves of not having their proudest moments over various issues we’ve seen in the last couple of years and, when the public are ready to have that national conversation about the monarchy, I think issues like this certainly don’t help the monarchy’s case.

These pictures show police have surrounded Royal Lodge as officers carrry out searches at Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home for a second day in a row.

Aerial images show police are standing guard outside the 30-room property where Andrew lived for more than 20 years.

by Martin Robinson and Piriyanga Thirunimalan

Sarah Ferguson is in a ‘bad way’ and feels that ‘everyone is out to get her’, her friends have admitted following ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest at Sandringham yesterday.

The former Duchess of York, 66, may now look to the UAE for cash and abandon her dream of a new home in Windsor to be near Beatrice and Eugenie.

But she is said to have told friends that there will be no tell-all book detailing the family’s ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, though she ‘might end up having to tell that story to the police’.

A royal source told the Daily Mail: ‘I’ve been talking to some of her friends. She sounds in a bad way. She’s been telling people she is really suffering with her mental health and thinks everyone is out to get her.

‘But at the same time she is adamant that she wants to get out there and start earning money again. I can’t see how she’s going to do it. Her brand is toxic.

‘Her best hope of a money-spinner is a tell-all book about how her family’s friendship with Epstein has destroyed everything and left the monarchy in crisis – but she’s ruled that out apparently. Besides she might end up having to tell that story to the police and a judge and jury or to some other form of inquiry.’

A royal source said Fergie would prefer Windsor as a base – but the UAE may appeal because she needs to make money.

Newspapers from across the world reacted with astonishment to the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Some media outlets declared the unprecedented event heralded the ‘end of privilege’, as others marvelled at Britain’s ‘ex-prince at rock bottom’ and dubbed Andrew the ‘prince of darkness’.

Plastered on most front-pages was the stunned former prince in the back of a police vehicle with his fingers steepled anxiously – an the image that will no-doubt become the counterpart to the other infamous photograph of Andrew, standing beside a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre in a London townhouse, 25-years-ago.

From the United States and Canada to Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland, readers from across the world watched in disbelief as arguably the biggest crisis for the monarchy in 400 years befell Britain.

Ex-Prince Andrew was enthusiastically championed for the role of UK trade envoy by none other than Peter Mandelson, it has emerged.

Lord Mandelson, who is now under investigation by police himself, dismissed concerns about Andrew’s suitability from a number of critics – including his older brother Charles.

Charles, then the Prince of Wales, was worried his errant sibling would ‘use the post to ‘cultivate friendships with the wealthy, chase women and play golf’, according to Private Eye.

But in 2001, when Andrew was put forward to replace the Duke of Kent, Mandelson said the then Duke of York was ‘well qualified’ for the role.

‘As a former trade secretary I know of the great importance of trade missions’, he reportedly said.

‘With a royal association they can achieve a reach into overseas foreign markets which is of immense value to the economy of the country. In that context the Duke of York will have a very important role for which he is well qualified.

A dog walker who lives near Royal Lodge has said he ‘wasn’t surprised at all’ by Andrew’s arrest.

Speaking to the Press Association, the man, who wished to be known only as Ben, said:

I think the mood of the nation is behind the fact that he should answer for whatever he’s done.

No one knows what (the royal family) knew or what they didn’t know, but I think they’ve done everything they can to distance themselves. They’ve kicked him out, basically, haven’t they? And that’s it.

Asked what it has been like to have the former prince as a neighbour in Windsor, Ben replied:

He’s not popular. But he’s not popular anywhere, is he?