Andrew hands back Norwegian royal order

King Charles’ younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has given back a royal Norwegian order that the former prince received almost four decades ago, Norway’s palace said on Thursday.

The Order of St. Olav, Norway’s most prestigious peacetime award, recognises distinguished service by its recipients, and was bestowed on then-Prince Andrew in 1988.

“Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has chosen to return his order,” a palace spokesperson in Oslo said.

The second son of the late Queen Elizabeth was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported.

King Charles last year stripped his younger brother of his title of prince and forced him out of his Windsor home, seeking to distance him from the royal family over his links to the Epstein scandal.

Norway’s royal palace declined to comment on why the order had been returned, citing confidentiality in matters of such awards.

Norway’s King Harald is related to King Charles and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor through several royal ancestors, including Britain’s 19th-century monarch Queen Victoria.