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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has filed a judicial review against Thames Valley Police over search warrants executed at his homes in February. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to determine the lawfulness of the police actions.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsar, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has launched legal action against Thames Valley Police regarding search warrants issued prior to his arrest in February. The former royal is seeking a judicial review to determine if the police acted lawfully when they executed warrants at his home on the Sandringham Estate and his former residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
The legal challenge was first reported by The Telegraph and confirmed by a judicial spokesperson, who stated that Mountbatten-Windsor filed a claim with the High Court in London. A court hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon and will begin in private. According to BBC, the judge will initially hear a request by the police to keep some documents private.
Thames Valley Police confirmed they are "engaged in legal proceedings in relation to warrants previously obtained from the Central Criminal Court." The force stated that it would be inappropriate to comment further while the proceedings are ongoing. The warrants were issued by a judge at the Central Criminal Court on 18 February, the day before Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested.
Nick Vamos, a criminal lawyer at Peters & Peters and former head of special crime at the Crown Prosecution Service, noted that disputes over warrants are not uncommon. He explained that even if the warrants are quashed, it may not result in the return of seized materials. "The police can apply back to the Crown Court to retain the material if they have grounds to immediately seize it again," Vamos said. He added that a "more fundamental issue with the granting of the warrants" would be required for police to be forced to return the material.
Mark Stephens, an attorney at Howard Kennedy, described the hearing as a "preliminary skirmish" in a broader legal battle. "I think the most important thing to take away from this is it shows that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his lawyers are taking this search warrant and the potential for charges extremely seriously," Stephens told The Associated Press. He suggested this move might indicate that charges could be preferred in the future.
Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on his 66th birthday, February 19. He was questioned for 11 hours at Aylsham police station before being released under investigation. No charges have been filed, and Thames Valley Police have stated their investigation is continuing.
The arrest followed revelations from the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice, which included emails appearing to show official documents being shared by Mountbatten-Windsor with Jeffrey Epstein while he served as the UK's trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsar has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
King Charles III has stripped his brother of his title as prince. However, Mountbatten-Windsor had previously stepped down from official royal duties in 2019. A royal source clarified that while the King provides a private allowance for Mountbatten-Windsar, this money is not to be used to fund the judicial review.
This legal action represents the first public pushback from Mountbatten-Windsor since his arrest. It highlights the ongoing tension between the former royal and law enforcement as the investigation into his links with Jeffrey Epstein continues. The outcome of the judicial review could influence the admissibility of evidence gathered during the searches, potentially affecting any future prosecution.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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