Thames Valley Police has insisted its inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for alleged misconduct in public office is pressing ahead “at pace,” even after a High Court judge determined that search warrants deployed during raids on his properties were unlawful.
The force acknowledged on Thursday that it had used incorrect warrants when officers searched his Sandringham and Windsor residences in February, but maintained this setback would not derail the broader investigation.
A spokesman for the force stated: “Our investigation into alleged misconduct in public office by a man in his 60s from Norfolk remains ongoing. We continue to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to effectively and fairly progress this investigation.”
The probe involves what the force described as “a number of live lines of enquiry,” with legal proceedings over seized evidence expected to stretch well into next year, leaving Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s fate unresolved.
Thames Valley Police has insisted its inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for alleged misconduct in public office is pressing ahead ‘at pace,’ even after a High Court judge determined that search warrants deployed during raids on his properties were unlawful
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GETTY
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into custody on February 19, his 66th birthday, in connection with his activities as the UK’s former trade envoy and his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was interviewed under caution before being released under investigation, and has consistently and strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Officers spent five days searching both his Sandringham and Windsor homes, seizing electronic devices and documents that remain in police possession.
The warrant error stemmed from the force’s application on February 18, when it sought authorisation under both sections 8 and 9 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Section 9 would have permitted officers to target confidential or commercially sensitive material. However, an Old Bailey judge granted only a section 8 warrant, meaning the seizure of trade-related, business or legally privileged material lacked proper legal authority.
Thames Valley Police has since conceded that the warrants issued under that legislation were incorrect and had to be quashed.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor secured a significant legal victory after a High Court judge ruled that the search warrants used to raid two of his properties earlier this year were unlawful
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GETTYMr Justice Hilliard confirmed to the High Court that the warrants had been formally quashed on July 22. Crucially, however, the judge emphasised that this procedural failing did not spell the end of the police investigation.
“The fact they were quashed does not bring an investigation to an end, or mean that the whole of the investigation was unlawful,” Mr Justice Hilliard said.
The force has now lodged a section 59 application seeking permission to hold on to the devices and documents taken during the searches. That hearing is expected to take place behind closed doors in 2027.
The force acknowledged the court’s ruling but drew a clear distinction between the warrant issue and the merits of its investigation. A spokesman said the decision “related to their legal basis and was not a judgment on its investigation,” adding that the force had followed “the correct legal processes throughout.”
Beyond the Thames Valley investigation, the National Police Chiefs’ Council revealed that the wider policing response to the Epstein Files, released by the US Department of Justice earlier this year, is also moving forward.
A dedicated national unit comprising two senior detectives and intelligence specialists with expertise in organised exploitation is working through a substantial volume of material to establish where additional inquiries may be necessary.
All 43 police forces across England and Wales, together with Regional Organised Crime Units, are cooperating on detailed intelligence assessments to help identify potential UK-based leads connected to suspects, victims or witnesses.
The NPCC said it is coordinating this effort alongside the National Crime Agency, Crown Prosecution Service and local forces, with victim engagement forming a key part of the work.
The organisation cautioned that identifying further potential offending is “a complex process and will take time.”
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles and removed from his Windsor residence last year, now lives at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate on a stipend from King Charles.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed the monarch is not funding Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal costs.