A High Court judge revealed on Thursday that police have admitted search warrants used to raid ex-prince Andrew’s homes were unlawful, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into King Charles III’s younger brother.
Thames Valley Police obtained warrants in February to search Andrew’s former residence in Windsor, west of London, and the royal estate at Sandringham in eastern England. Officers arrested Andrew (66) on his birthday that month on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his relationship with late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The disgraced royal challenged the legality of the searches, with The Daily Telegraph reporting late on Sunday that this marks the first time a member of Britain’s royal family has contested the lawfulness of criminal proceedings against them since the trial of Charles I in 1649.
Police concede warrants were unlawful
High Court judge Nicholas Hilliard said Thames Valley Police agreed “the search warrants were unlawful”. However, he stressed this does not end the investigation or render it entirely unlawful.
The judge must still decide whether police can keep items they seized during the raids. He explained he would rule on a legal application allowing officers to retain property obtained under an unlawful warrant “if it would be lawful to seize the property under some other provision”.
Investigation continues despite setback
Thames Valley Police acknowledged in a statement that their decision to issue the warrants “was incorrect”. The force said legal proceedings are ongoing to determine how material seized during the searches will be managed and whether they can lawfully retain it to support their investigation.
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New low for scandal-hit royal
Andrew’s arrest and the subsequent searches represent another blow for the ex-prince, who lost his royal titles last year and was removed from his Windsor home due to his connections with Epstein. The government has even considered passing legislation to remove him from the line of succession.
Scandal has surrounded Andrew since Virginia Giuffre claimed in her memoirs that Epstein trafficked her three times to have sex with the royal when she was a teenager. Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations and settled a US civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability.
The Thames Valley Police investigation follows new revelations from documents relating to Epstein released by the United States earlier this year, including emails showing Andrew appeared to share potentially confidential information with the American financier.
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