Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested as police raid royal homes over Epstein links

Plus: Starmer's Chagos Islands deal hits new crisis

Friday, February 20, 2026 Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.   Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation after being arrested on his 66th birthday, an intervention by a judge has thrown Sir Keir Starmer's plans to hand over the Chagos Islands further into chaos, and reports suggest the US is building up military assets so it is ready to strike Iran. Top stories 1 | Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested as police raid royal homes over Epstein links Read more 2 | Starmer's Chagos Islands deal hits new crisis after judge blocks removal of islanders Read more 3 |Trump's forces build up ahead of potential Iran strike Read more 4 | Inside the rise of Starmer's 'Marmite' pick to lead UK Civil Service Read more 5 | Expired British passport issued as long ago as 1989 could get dual nationals into UK Read more Editors' picks Prince William is desperate to prove he's different – Gen Z don't buy it If Trump goes to war with Iran, it will be without the American people The royal family is built to survive disaster, but Andrew is a new low Listen to In The Room In The Room, a new weekly political podcast from Independent Studio, launches today. Every Friday, hosts Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson go behind the biggest headlines to explain the anatomy of politics, revealing the decisions behind the commotion and giving their expert insights on what should happen next. Listen now Your Views Your Views 'We need to rethink university education': Readers on student loans It seems to me to be very unfair that the people who introduced the whole student finance system benefited from a grant-based university education and many 'Boomers' have managed to get to their cosy, property-owning affluence on the back of a state-funded university degree or degrees. CanPeopleReallyBeThisStupid   CanPeopleReallyBeThisStupid     Share your opinion and read the full debate here. WATCH  Vehicles arrive at Sandringham as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested STAT OF THE DAY £3bn The UK's plummeting migration numbers will add billions of pounds to the nation's borrowing, a chief economist has warned Rachel Reeves. Read more QUOTE OF THE DAY "Thunder punch to the stomach". The son of a British couple detained in Iran told The Independent that the news they had been sentenced to 10 years in prison was "devastating". Read more Other stories you might like Police officer who ran pizza company while on sick leave sacked Antonia Romeo is appointed as UK's top civil servant Mandelson's lobbying firm collapses after Epstein links exposed Get 60% off this Oral-B electric toothbrush bundle at Amazon. Walk away with great savings in the Myrqvist sale. Join the conversation and follow us Download our apps: Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy policy and cookie policy