As The Sun reports, Norfolk Police planned the raid days in advance – knowing full well that they would be taking the former Duke of York into custody on his birthday of all days.

Numerous employees at the Aylsham Police Investigation Centre, around 50 minutes’ drive from Sandringham, were ordered not to report to duty on Thursday. The other officers only found out that a “well-known person” was being brought in. Andrew, who receives a pension of 621 euros a monthwas said to be the only suspect processed there that morning. Local residents described the police station as “eerily quiet” – as North Norfolk’s central detention center it is normally busy.

Andrew’s arrest: “Policing without fear and without favors”

A source told the newspaper: “This raid was planned days in advance and the fact that they knew it was his birthday and struck anyway shows they did their job properly – policing without fear and without favors.” Nobody is above the law.

During his nine-hour interrogation, Andrew is said to have been served a cup of Yorkshire tea – the brand that carries a royal purveyor title from his brother King Charles.

Police wanted to avoid leaks

According to the report, in order to avoid any leaks, Norfolk Police even ordered a nationwide shutdown of its internal IT system. This was intended to ensure that no details about the time, place or sequence of the arrest of the king’s brother were leaked.

Experts expect that Andrew will have to wait at least a year to find out whether charges of abuse of power will be filed. A waiting time that further increases the pressure on the ex-prince – according to eyewitnesses, when he left Aylsham on Thursday evening he appeared disturbed and stunned.