Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Looks Visibly Aghast In 1St Pic After Arrest - Check Story Behind Former Prince's Viral Pic

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, once dubbed the "Playboy Prince", appeared visibly shaken as he slumped in the back seat of his Range Rover while his car left the Aylsham police station in Norfolk, England, on Thursday.

The photograph was the first of the ex-prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles, since his release from police custody following a day of questioning over allegations he sent confidential government documents to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Taken by Reuters photographer Phil Noble, the image quickly went viral on social media.

Also Read | Andrew freed, remains under investigation over public office misconduct Story behind former prince's viral pic

Andrew began the six-hour drive south to Norfolk early on Thursday.

After the news of his arrest broke, journalists knew the former prince had been arrested in Norfolk, the county of his royal Sandringham estate, but since he was being questioned by the Thames Valley Police, covering southeast England, there were potentially 20 or more police stations where he could have been held, Reuters reported.

Following a tip, the Reuters photojournalist headed to the police station in the historic market town of Aylsham. Not much was going on, Phil said.

At Aylsham, there were several other media persons, including Reuters video journalist Marissa Davison.

As hours went by in nothingness and the darkness fell, journalists were almost certain that they were at the wrong station; after all, it was well over an hour's drive from Andrew's home.

Just when the two Reuters journalists decided to pack up and book rooms at a hotel, Phil, who had already started heading down the road, received a call from Marissa – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's cars had arrived.

Phil reportedly raced back, just in time to see the two vehicles leaving at high speed. There were two police officers in the front car, so intuitively, the photojournalist aimed his camera and flash at the car behind.

Also Read | What is 'misconduct in public office'? Andrew arrested in UK The lucky picture

Phil had captured a total of six pictures - two showed police, two were blank, and one was out of focus. However, there was this one last“lucky” picture that captured Andrew in an unprecedented moment of nature: for the first time in modern history, a senior royal was being treated as a common criminal.

The image was used extensively by the media worldwide.

"You can plan and use your experience and know roughly what you need to do, but still everything needs to align," said Phil. "When you're doing car shots, it's more luck than judgment."

Initially, Phil did not look closely at the former prince's expression; he was just relieved it was him.

"It was a proper old school news day, a guy being arrested, who can we call, tracking him down," he said.

Also Read | Virginia Giuffre's family on Andrew arrest: 'No one is above the law' Why was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested?

The current police investigation, which is not related to any allegation of sexual impropriety, involves the suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to a statement released on Thursday by Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Jeffrey Epstein and has previously said he regretted their friendship.

He has not spoken publicly since the release of the Epstein Files, millions of pages of documents by the US government relating to the late wealthy financier who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

(With Reuters inputs)

MENAFN20022026007365015876ID1110766786