Ex-prince Andrew launches bid to ‘quash’ Epstein-affair search warrants
Britain’s former Prince Andrew, 66, filed a court application on Monday seeking to overturn the search warrants that authorized police raids on his residences. The warrants were issued after Thames Valley Police arrested him on February 19, his birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Officers entered the remote Sandringham estate in eastern England and also searched his former home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor, before releasing him later that day while the investigation continued. A private hearing on the challenge is scheduled for Thursday, during which the court will consider whether the warrants, originally granted by a judge at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey), were lawfully issued.
The legal challenge marks an unprecedented move by a senior member of the British royal family, the first such contest of criminal proceedings since the trial of Charles I in 1649, according to the Daily Telegraph. Andrew’s lawyers aim to scrutinise the procedural basis of the warrants, arguing that the police may have exceeded their authority. The hearing will also address a separate application by Thames Valley Police to limit public access to court documents related to the case, underscoring the sensitivity of the material. The police, while refusing further comment, reiterated that their investigation into alleged misconduct in public office remains ongoing.
The case follows Andrew’s removal of royal titles last year after new U.S. documents revealed emails suggesting he shared potentially confidential information with Epstein. The raids and subsequent legal battle represent a further low point for the ex‑prince, whose ties to the financier have continued to attract intense scrutiny. The outcome of Thursday’s hearing could set a precedent for how royal figures are subject to criminal investigations, and may influence the scope of future inquiries into misconduct involving high‑profile individuals.
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