Former Prince Andrew wins legal challenge over Epstein-linked home searches

The High Court quashed warrants used to search Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s homes, but police can still seek to retain material seized during the raids as their criminal investigation continues.MANCHESTER, England (CN) — A British court on Thursday quashed search warrants used to raid the homes of former Prince Andrew during a police investigation linked to Jeffrey Epstein.Justice Nicholas Hilliard of the High Court in London ruled that warrants allowing Thames Valley Police to search Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s residence on the Sandringham estate and his former home at Royal Lodge had not been lawfully granted.The ruling follows the former prince, 66, filing legal action after accusing officers of seizing personal items unrelated to the investigation during their searches.The police force accepted the legal error and agreed the warrants should be quashed.The ruling does not end the criminal investigation or require police to return the material they seized, Hilliard said.Separate legal proceedings will determine whether police can keep the material and use it in their investigation.“The fact that the search warrants were quashed does not bring an investigation to an end, or mean that the whole of the investigation was unlawful,” Hilliard said.Thames Valley Police, responsible for policing much of the area west of London, said its investigation into suspected misconduct in public office remains ongoing.“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,” said a Thames Valley Police spokesperson.The force said the warrants had been obtained using the wrong legal basis but “is not a judgment on our ongoing investigation.”The challenge is a legal victory for the former prince, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in February.He was questioned under caution and released under investigation without being charged.The investigation followed the U.S. Department of Justice’s release of files related to Epstein, which renewed scrutiny of Mountbatten-Windsor’s dealings with the convicted sex offender and included material concerning his time as Britain’s trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.Mountbatten-Windsor denies any wrongdoing.The younger brother of King Charles III, he was stripped of his royal titles and his right to use the title prince last year amid scrutiny of his association with Epstein.The legal challenge also marked the first time in centuries that a member of the British royal family had challenged criminal proceedings against them in court. The last such case was the 1649 trial of King Charles I, who was executed.Buckingham Palace has also distanced the royal family from the legal action.Although Mountbatten-Windsor receives financial support from the king’s private funds, the palace warned him not to use that money to fund his challenge against the police.In February when his brother was arrested, the king issued a statement saying “the law must take its course.”Despite the successful challenge to the search warrants, the investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor continues.Courthouse News reporter James Francis Whitehead is based in England.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads