The High Court has declared that search warrants used by Thames Valley Police to raid the homes of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were unlawful, marking a significant legal setback for investigators in the ongoing case against the former royal.
Justice Hilliard presided over the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice today, where it was confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the police and the former Duke of York to quash the warrants. The legal action followed raids conducted earlier this year at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate and the Royal Lodge in Windsor, both of which were searched in February shortly after Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on his 66th birthday.
The former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid allegations that he shared sensitive information with the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. While the High Court’s ruling invalidates the specific warrants used to gain access to his properties, Justice Hilliard was careful to note that the decision “does not bring an investigation to an end, or mean that the whole of the investigation was unlawful.”
In a statement following the hearing, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police acknowledged the court’s decision, admitting that the legal basis used to secure the warrants was “incorrect.”
“We accept the position that the initial court’s decision to issue warrants under the specific piece of legislation used was incorrect and therefore these must be legally quashed,” the force said. “The agreement… relates specifically to a decision made by the court regarding the legal basis for these and is not a judgement on our ongoing investigation.”
Police confirmed that they seized “documentary material and electronic devices” during the raids, but the legal status of that evidence remains in flux. Further court proceedings are expected to determine whether the material can be retained or must be returned, as the police move to reconcile the procedural error with their desire to continue the inquiry. The force maintained that they are continuing to “pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry” in their investigation into allegations of misconduct.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who has been stripped of his royal titles by the King following the scandal, has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Reports indicate that he has been funding his own legal defense, with the King reportedly refusing to allow the use of his royal stipend for such purposes.
The quashing of the warrants raises fresh questions about the conduct of the investigation as it progresses. For now, Thames Valley Police have declined to provide further comment, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing legal proceedings. The case continues to be a major point of public and legal scrutiny as the former prince prepares to fight the allegations surrounding his ties to Epstein.
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