The family of Virginia Giuffre have thanked the King for 'standing behind survivors' describing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest as 'a win'.
The former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on his 66th birthday yesterday after plain-clothed officers swooped on his Norfolk home in an 8am raid.
The shamed former royal spent 11 hours in police custody before being released under investigation, with his brother, the King, insisting Andrew should be subject to the full force of British justice, saying: 'The law must take its course.'
Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, including when she was 17, and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Jeffry Epstein. Andrew has always strongly denied the claims.
Charles stripped his younger brother of his prince and Duke of York titles last year amid the scandal surrounding Andrew's friendship with the convicted paedophile.
In an unprecedented and historic personal statement, Charles expressed his 'deepest concern' at Andrew's arrest and pledged his 'full and wholehearted support and co-operation' with the ongoing police investigation.
In an interview with BBC Newsnight on Thursday, Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre's brother, praised the King for his response following Andrew's arrest, adding: 'We have yet to see that from our own government here.'
Ms Giuffre, who was pictured with Andrew's arm around her waist when she was a teenager in 2001, alleged that she was forced into sexual encounters with him on three separate occasions when she was 17 years old.
In an interview with BBC Newsnight on Thursday, Sky Roberts, Virginia Giuffre's brother, praised the King for his response following Andrew's arrest, adding: 'We have yet to see that from our own government here'
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor leaves Aylsham Police Station after he was released from custody on Thursday
Virginia Giuffre, who was pictured with Andrew's arm around her waist when she was a teenager in 2001, alleged that she was forced into sexual encounters with him on three separate occasions when she was 17 years old
Mr Roberts said that although Andrew's arrest 'may not be a direct correlation to what the sexual assault allegations may be', it was 'a win' for his sister and other survivors and 'a very good start to opening an investigation'.
He said: 'I will continue to commend the King for the actions that he's taken.
'We have yet to see that from our own government here. We were just at the Pam Bondi hearing.
'And so I think to hear the King come out and acknowledge the fact that there needs to be an investigation, the law should be followed, like it should be followed for anybody that should be held to this type of investigation.
'And if it is found that he indeed did share secret information from his own government, I mean, that's a crime that's punishable by life.
'We would ask that he holds them to the highest extent of the law, even though it is his brother.
'So I commend the King. I say thank you to the King and to the royal family for standing behind survivors, but also just standing behind their people to say, it doesn't matter your wealth or your power, you don't have a different set of laws for you that don't apply to other people.
'And I think we're seeing that in the UK right now.'
Speaking on the same programme, Amanda Roberts, Ms Giuffre's sister-in-law, said her family believed Andrew's arrest was the 'breadcrumb to the larger dinner' regarding the investigation.
'There's still this underlying issue of survivors not getting their day in court and not seeing judicial, legal action,' Ms Roberts said.
'However, we still are true in believing that it is the breadcrumb to the larger dinner.
'And so we are hopeful that this investigation now starts to open up that further probe into the sexual assault allegations, into the child trafficking. So it still is a win.'
Ms Roberts said Ms Giuffre's family was hit by a 'wave of emotions' upon hearing the news of Andrew's arrest.
She said: 'It was 3am our time when we got the news and a bit of a shock, like, hits you in that moment and I think we celebrated in that moment and we were just like all struck.
'And then the wave of emotions hits you because, usually we can call her and scream with her on the phone, and jump up and down with her, and just get to tell her, like, how proud we are of her, and her tenacity and her courage.
'And if it had not been for Virginia, none of this would have been uncovered. None of this would have happened.'
Ms Roberts appeared to choke up during the interview and said: 'We're all of the emotions right now. And I think we'll be up and down all day, to be honest.
'But, you know, I still think we have to have that moment where we close the door and get to sit with ourselves. And just... just... love our sister.'
In 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Ms Giuffre despite insisting he had never met her to avoid a humiliating public jury trial that posed a reputational risk to the Royal Family.
Such exposure would have been particularly awkward during his mother's Platinum Jubilee year. It was understood that around £7million of the payout came from the late Queen as a 'loan', with a further £3million from the estate of his father Prince Philip.
A further £1.5million was reported to have been contributed by other members of the Royal Family.
However, sources close to King Charles later confirmed that he was not among them.
Ms Giuffre's memoir, Nobody's Girl, was published posthumously last October which gives her account of being trafficked by convicted sex offender Epstein and the three alleged sexual encounters with the then-prince.
He was stripped of his titles in the wake of its release.
The family of Epstein's longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell have said they were 'astonished' to see Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested.
Posting on X, Maxwell's family called for 'transparency' and 'evidence' which they claimed the disgraced British socialite 'never received'.
In their statement, posted on the X account titled Real Ghislaine, Maxwell's family said: 'Astonished to see Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested today over alleged misconduct in public office linked to material from the so-called Epstein "Files".
'He is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a fair process - which our sister Ghislaine never received.
'We need transparency, evidence, and the same rules for everyone - not trial by media and political expediency.'
Andrew's arrest sensationally took place on the monarch's private estate in Norfolk, to where the former Duke of York was recently exiled following his public disgrace.
A group of police officers in plain clothes arrive at Wood Farm on Thursday morning, where searches began
The charge is a rare but serious crime, liable for trial by jury, and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
He has not yet been charged.
Following days of behind-closed-doors planning, officers from Thames Valley Police swept along the Sandringham roads in six unmarked police vehicles at 8am.
In the tightly co-ordinated operation, one car advanced on Wood Farm - Prince Philip's former home which is being used as a temporary bolt-hole by Andrew - via its main driveway while the others circled towards the back, blocking the rear entrance of the five-bedroom property.
While Andrew was being taken into custody at the unassuming Aylsham Police Station about an hour away, a simultaneous raid was being launched 130 miles west at Royal Lodge, his former home in the grounds of Windsor Great Park.
Andrew's recent departure from the mansion was so swift that many of his belongings remain in the property.
Neither the King nor Buckingham Palace were informed in advance, signalling the police's determination to show that no-one - not even a former prince - is above the law.
At 12pm Charles issued his landmark statement, in which he tersely and impersonally referred to his brother only as 'Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor'.
He said: 'I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.
'What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities.
'In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
'Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.
'Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.'
Significantly, it was signed 'Charles R. ', signifying this was a rare personal statement.
Just after 7pm, following a day of being questioned, Andrew emerged red-eyed and jowly, the image of his release encapsulating his fall from grace as he tried to cower on the back seat of a car driven by privately funded security guards.
The ex-Duke is accused of passing potentially confidential and sensitive documents to his friend, convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, while working as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.
