Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has won a legal challenge at the High Court after police admitted that search warrants used to raid two of his residences earlier this year were unlawfully issued. The warrants, which led to searches of his properties on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and Royal Lodge in Windsor, were obtained by Thames Valley Police in connection with an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office.

The former Duke of York was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, following claims that he shared sensitive information with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s special envoy for international trade and investment between 2001 and 2011. Police questioned him for nearly 12 hours before releasing him under investigation.

At a hearing held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, which Mountbatten-Windsor did not attend, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard ruled that a “significant error” had been made in the application and granting of the search warrants. The warrants were granted under section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which permits searches for evidence generally, but the judge found that section 9 warrants were required due to the nature of the material seized—items subject to legal privilege, such as business records and confidential documents. Thames Valley Police conceded that the original warrants were not lawfully granted and agreed with the former duke’s legal challenge, resulting in the warrants being quashed.

Despite the ruling, Mr Justice Hilliard emphasized that the quashing of the warrants does not bring the investigation to an end, nor does it render the entire inquiry unlawful. He noted that retaining or returning the seized material depends on whether police can lawfully obtain it under different legal provisions. Thames Valley Police has initiated further legal proceedings to seek authorization to keep the documents, electronic devices, and other evidence seized during the searches. Mountbatten-Windsor opposes the effort to retain this material. A private hearing on the matter is expected to take place next year.

Thames Valley Police stated that the initial court decision to issue the warrants under the specific legislation was incorrect but stressed that this relates to the legal basis of the warrants, not the substance of their ongoing investigation. The force confirmed it is continuing to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry in connection with the allegations and expects to use the material in its investigation if permitted by the courts.

The case marks a rare instance of a royal family member facing a criminal investigation, with Mountbatten-Windsor having been stripped of his royal titles by King Charles last year. Allies of the former duke expressed that he felt vindicated by the court’s ruling and remain confident in his intention to clear his name. Meanwhile, national policing bodies continue to coordinate responses to the broader implications of the US Department of Justice’s Epstein files, which have prompted multiple investigations across the UK.