Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Wins High Court Challenge Over Property Searches
Police admit search warrants for Royal properties were unlawful, though investigation continues.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has won a High Court battle concerning the legality of searches conducted earlier this year at two of his residences: Wood Farm in Sandringham and Royal Lodge in Windsor. Thames Valley Police had obtained approval for these searches from an Old Bailey judge.
At a High Court hearing on Thursday, Mr. Justice Hilliard stated that an agreement was reached between Mountbatten-Windsor and Thames Valley Police that the search warrants were unlawful. The judge clarified, however, that the quashing of the warrants does not signify the end of the investigation nor does it imply that the entire investigation was unlawful.
The former prince was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, and held for nearly 12 hours before being released on police bail. He has not been charged with any offense. The High Court's decision throws into doubt evidence gathered during the police investigation.
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police confirmed that on July 22, the High Court quashed search warrants granted on February 18, 2026, for the two properties. These properties were searched as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct in public office by a man in his 60s from Norfolk.
"The agreement that led to the quashing of the warrants relates specifically to a decision made by the court regarding the legal basis for these and is not a judgement on our ongoing investigation," the spokesperson stated. The force acknowledged that the initial court's decision to issue warrants under the specific legislation used was incorrect.
Legal proceedings are ongoing to determine how material seized during the searches will be managed and if it can be lawfully retained to support the investigation. The investigation itself remains active, and the police continue to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry.
King Charles previously stripped his brother of his military affiliations and royal patronages following public pressure related to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor relinquished his title of Duke of York amid renewed allegations of sexual abuse made by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an Epstein victim. Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor multiple times, claims he has consistently denied. In 2022, he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault lawsuit with Giuffre, while maintaining he never met her.
