US hockey star Haley Winn's three older brothers are her biggest fans online and at the rink

MILAN (AP) — U.S. hockey defender Haley Winn 's three older brothers are her biggest, loudest and most colorful fans. To say the Winn brothers have shown pride for their baby sister at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics would be a vast understatement.

They churn out goofy viral videos in several outfits to cheer her and her teammates on: In some, they deck themselves out in American flag-patterned jackets and matching bucket hats and narrate the game's results, including sister Haley's first goal.

In others, they wear red, white and blue jumpsuits and cover their entire heads with bald eagle masks and simulate tabletop curling with an Aperol spritz and a napkin.

Many of their videos are set in the arena’s stands or in an alley outside their rented Milan apartment. But even as they have been loud and proud ahead of Team USA's gold medal game on Thursday, they have a message for the hundreds of thousands of social media users tuning in to their Olympic antics: Watch the games.

Haley Winn, 22, is part of a generation of female athletes who are elevating professional women's hockey, soccer, basketball, among others, and her brothers want everyone to remember who the real stars are.

“It's about them," Ryan Winn, 27, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "It's not about us.”

The United States and Canada will face off in an Olympic final for a seventh time since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games. The rivalry between the sport’s two global powers never gets old — but this year it’s especially acute as political tensions between the two countries are on edge. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Canada should be the 51st U.S. state.

The four Winn siblings grew up skating on their family's backyard ice rink in Rochester, New York. While the exuberant brothers all went on to play college hockey, it was already abundantly clear that their quieter, humbler sister was the true talent.

“Haley just turned out to be the absolute beast out of all of us,” Ryan Winn said.

Casey Winn, 29, said she started on the ice before she could even walk, “pushing a bucket around.”

Ryan added: “She always wanted to be the hardest worker. She always want to be competing against us, and she wants to be the best.”

After playing at Clarkson University in New York, Haley Winn was the second overall pick in last year's Professional Women’s Hockey League draft and currently plays for the Boston Fleet. Milan Cortina marks her Olympic debut, and she scored one goal and had three assists over the six games leading up to Thursday.

“She loves this game and she had a dream to play this game at the highest level for a long time,” Ryan Winn said. “It’s now our dream, getting to watch her live out her dream.”

The brothers began their outlandish shows of support during the 2024 World Championship in Utica, New York. Ryan Winn, a video producer, said they wanted to up their game for the Olympics, both in the stands and for their social media content.

“So we were like, ‘What can we do that’s next level?'” he said. ”We’re going to add an eagle head to it."

The inspiration stemmed from Team USA's goal celebration song, “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynryd. The brothers, for added effect, flap their arms as wings in the stands. Boom — another viral video.

“She laughs about it, she comments on our posts," said Ryan Winn. "She didn’t know any of the outfits that were coming, too, so she’s just as surprised as anybody else when she sees the fits.”

The Winn brothers are first to own up to the absurdity of their their bald eagle jumpsuits, but they are adamant that elite women’s hockey deserves the same respect given to the men’s game.

“If someone says they don’t like women’s sports or ‘I just want to watch the NHL and not the PWHL,’ it’s because you haven't watched enough games,” Ryan Winn said. “These are highly skilled, high-level players that have devoted their lives to this craft, who are playing explosively.”

Associated Press reporters John Wawrow and Linda Petre in Milan contributed to this report.

AP Winter Olympics coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Ryan Winn films Casey Winn and Mitchell Hanson in a promotional video for the Winn's sister, Haley Winn, and the rest of the USA women's hockey team, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

Tommy, Ryan and Casey Winn, brothers of USA Hockey player Haley Winn, film a video to promote women's hockey, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

Ryan Winn films brother Casey Winn in a promotional video for their sister Haley Winn and the rest of the USA women's hockey team, Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

United States' Haley Winn, right, challenges for the puck with Sweden's Lisa Johansson during a semifinal match of women's ice hockey between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's Hanna Thuvik (22) is challenged by United States' Haley Winn (8) during a women's ice hockey semifinal game between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

United States' Haley Winn, left, collides with Sweden's Sara Hjalmarsson during a semifinal match of women's ice hockey between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

LONDON (AP) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former British prince who was stripped of his royal titles because of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

While Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with his friendship with Epstein, concerns about Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to the late financier have dogged the royal family for more than a decade. But the arrest of a brother of a monarch was an extraordinary development with no precedent in modern times that will no doubt put more pressure on the crown.

After the arrest, King Charles III said that the law must take its course in the investigation, and he sought to distance the royal family from Mountbatten-Windsor.

Thames Valley Police said that a man in his 60s from Norfolk in eastern England was arrested and remained in custody. The force, which covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, did not identify the suspect, in line with standard procedures in Britain, but pointed to its statement when asked to confirm if Andrew was arrested.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, moved to his brother King Charles III’s estate in Norfolk after he was evicted from his longtime home near Windsor Castle earlier this month.

Thames Valley Police previously said it was “assessing” reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010, when the former prince was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Those reports stemmed from correspondence between the two men that was among the millions of pages of documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein that were released last month.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,’’ Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Police also said they were searching two properties.

The arrest came after pictures circulated online that appeared to show unmarked police cars at Wood Farm, Mountbatten-Windsor’s home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, with plainclothes officers gathering outside.

“This is the most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times,” said Craig Prescott, a royal expert at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that in most cases, suspects are held between 12 and 24 hours and are then either charged or released pending further investigation.

The absolute longest the former prince can be held for is 96 hours — but this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a Magistrate’s Court. It is unclear what time Andrew was arrested.

Andrew will be placed in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet,” where he will wait until his police interview.

“There’ll be no special treatment for him,'' Shaw said.

The late Queen Elizabeth II forced her second son to give up royal duties and end his charitable work in 2019 after he tried to explain away his ties to Epstein during a catastrophic interview with the BBC.

But more details about the relationship emerged in a book published last year, and Charles stripped him of the right to be called a prince and ordered him to move.

Then came the unprecedented announcement last week that Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.

Charles was forced to act after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of Epstein documents that revealed the extent of his relationship with Mountbatten-Windsor and showed that their correspondence continued long after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

After Thursday’s arrest, Charles issued a statement to reiterate that he would cooperate with the investigation.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,’’ the king said in a statement signed Charles R. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.’’

He added: “My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.’’

Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York in 2019. He took his own life in jail while awaiting trial.

FILE - Prince Andrew leaves St. Giles Cathedral after the arrival of the coffin containing the remains of his mother Queen Elizabeth, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sept. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

FILE - Britain's Prince Andrew, center, and his daughters Princess Eugenie, left, and Princess Beatrice leave Westminster Abbey after the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton, in London, April 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)

FILE - Prince Andrew leaves after attending the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Dec. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Britain's Prince Andrew, greets a business leader during a reception at the sideline of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool, File)

FILE - A document showing an email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, and who Epstein referred to as "The Duke," that was in a U.S. Department of Justice release, is photographed Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File)

FILE - Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Then-Britain's Prince Andrew, left, and Britain's King Charles III leave after the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Joanna Chan, File)