High Court rules Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s home search warrants unlawful, but police retain seized evidence

Key points

• Mr Justice Hilliard confirmed that both Mountbatten-Windsor and Thames Valley Police agreed the search warrants were unlawful.
• The police conceded that the initial court decision to issue warrants under Section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 was incorrect, as Section 9 was required.
• Despite the ruling, the police have retained the documents and electronic devices seized during the February raids.
• A behind-closed-doors hearing is scheduled for 2027 to decide if the police can lawfully retain the material under alternative powers.
• The criminal investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor for misconduct in public office remains ongoing.

Background

This development follows Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on 19 February 2026, when he was detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest followed the US Department of Justice’s publication of documents raising suspicions that he had forwarded confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy in 2010. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In October 2026, he launched a judicial review to challenge the legality of the search warrants used during the raids on his Sandringham estate and Royal Lodge homes. Previous archive coverage noted that legal experts anticipated the police might retain seized materials even if the warrants were struck down.

How outlets are covering it

The BBC reports that Thames Valley Police accepted the warrants were unlawful but emphasized that this does not end the investigation or render the entire process invalid. The police stated they are pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry. The Guardian highlights that Buckingham Palace has warned Mountbatten-Windsor not to use the king’s private funds to finance his legal action against the police, stating that his legal defense is a matter for him and his lawyers. The Telegraph was inaccessible due to a security block, so no perspective could be extracted from that source.

Why it matters

The ruling impacts the admissibility of evidence in any future prosecution against Mountbatten-Windsor. While the warrants were quashed, the police’s ability to retain seized materials under alternative legal powers means the investigation can proceed. The outcome of the 2027 hearing will determine whether the seized documents and devices can be used in court, potentially influencing the trajectory of the misconduct in public office case.

What to watch

A further hearing is scheduled for 2027 to decide whether the police can lawfully retain the material seized from Mountbatten-Windsor’s homes. The police must convince a judge that the material is of 'substantial value' to their investigation. The criminal investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor continues, with the force pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry.