Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has alleged that police seized private and confidential items during raids on his properties, as he challenges the legality of search warrants used by Thames Valley Police.
The former prince is seeking a judicial review of warrants authorising searches of his cottage in Sandringham and his former home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor. The searches took place on February 19, his 66th birthday.
His legal challenge, brought against Thames Valley Police and the Old Bailey, is believed to be the first time in nearly 400 years that a member of the Royal Family has contested the lawfulness of criminal proceedings in this way.
Andrew is asking a High Court judge to determine whether the warrants were legally issued. If he succeeds, police could be required to return all the items taken during the searches, including those he says were unrelated to the investigation.
The raids formed part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. It has been suggested that emails Andrew sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy contained sensitive information.
Andrew strongly denies any wrongdoing. During the operation, he was arrested and held for almost 12 hours at Aylsham police station in Norfolk before being released under investigation.
Thames Valley Police has previously said it is “engaged in legal proceedings in relation to warrants previously obtained from the Central Criminal Court”, but has declined to comment further.
The force has also applied for documents connected to the judicial review to be kept from public view, prompting a dispute over whether the case should be heard openly.
Mr Justice Hilliard is due to consider Andrew’s application and decide whether the contents of the documents can be made public. The press and public are expected to be excluded at least initially, despite the usual principle that court proceedings should be open unless there is a compelling reason for privacy.
The legal action comes as Andrew faces questions over how his costs will be met. The King has reportedly barred him from using money provided as a private source of income to fund legal fees, which are expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, although royal sources have said the King instructed Andrew not to use the money he provides for personal spending and security costs.
