Chiara Nava British Thames Valley Police have acknowledged that the warrants used last February to search the homes of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor , brother of King Charles III and the former Prince Andrew , were unlawful . The matter emerged during a High Court hearing, where the man's lawyers challenged the validity of the searches. The police themselves admitted that the court's initial decision to authorize the searches based on the specific law used was also flawed.
During the operations, documents and electronic devices were seized.
Illegitimate searches: legal basis recognized as flawed
During the hearing, Thames Valley Police confirmed that the warrants had been issued under an inappropriate legislative provision . The challenge was raised by lawyers representing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who asked the High Court to review the legality of the searches carried out in February at properties linked to the former prince.
Officers had seized documents and electronic devices during the operations. The police's acknowledgement of the error concerns the legal basis used to obtain the warrants and does not, in itself, constitute a conclusion to the entire investigation.
Furthermore, the fate of the seized material remains to be determined. The defense disputes the possibility that the documents and devices can continue to be used by investigators.
The issue will be addressed in subsequent proceedings before the High Court.
The investigation into alleged relations with Jeffrey Epstein
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on February 19 on charges of misconduct in public office. The investigation began after the U.S. Department of Justice released documents related to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein , the American financier who died in prison in 2019 after being accused and convicted of sex crimes.
According to investigators, when he was serving as British Trade Representative in 2010, Andrew allegedly passed confidential information related to his institutional activities to Epstein . These allegations are still being examined by the judiciary and have not been definitively established.
Thames Valley Police's admission therefore represents an important element in the legitimacy of the searches, but it does not close the investigation into the former prince. The fate of the seized material and any further developments in the investigation into Andrew's relationship with Epstein remain unclear.