Search warrants used in the investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were unlawful and have been quashed, the High Court heard on 8 October. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.
Mr Justice Hilliard confirmed that Andrew and Thames Valley Police had agreed the warrants were unlawful. The searches concerned his residence on the Sandringham Estate and his former home at Royal Lodge, Windsor.
Warrants quashed in July
In its official statement, Thames Valley Police said the High Court quashed the warrants on 22 July. They had been granted on 18 February 2026 for properties in Norfolk and Berkshire.
The October hearing therefore made the earlier decision public; it was not the date on which the warrants were first quashed.
The force said the initial court had issued the warrants under an incorrect statutory provision. It maintained that officers had presented the court with the necessary information and paperwork.
Investigation continues
Police said the decision concerned the warrants’ legal basis and did not amount to a judgment on the underlying investigation into alleged misconduct in public office.
Hilliard likewise explained that quashing the warrants did not end the investigation or make the whole investigation unlawful.
Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations that he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. He was released under investigation and denies wrongdoing. He has not been charged.
Seized material remains subject to proceedings
Thames Valley Police said further legal proceedings would determine how material seized during the searches should be managed and whether the force could lawfully retain it.
The warrant decision does not establish that Andrew committed an offence, nor does it resolve the allegations in his favour. It concerns the legal authority for the searches, with the separate criminal enquiries continuing.