News24 | Former prince Andrew takes police to court over Epstein files arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is seen being driven away from a police station following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in a public office.

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• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched legal action against Thames Valley Police over his February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in office.
• He has lodged a judicial review challenging the search warrants that allowed police to raid his homes at Sandringham Estate and Royal Lodge in Windsor.
• Mountbatten-Windsor denies any wrongdoing and regrets his friendship with Epstein, which led King Charles to strip him of his titles and honours last October.

King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has launched a legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest for suspicion of misconduct in office based on documents released by the US Justice Department on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Telegraph reported on Sunday.

Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested in February on suspicion of leaking government documents to Epstein when he was a special representative for trade between 2001 and 2011, has asked a judge to determine whether the police force’s action towards him was lawful, the report said.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Thames Valley Police and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment, sent outside regular business hours.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he regrets their friendship.

According to the Telegraph, he has lodged a judicial review in connection with the search warrants that allowed police to raid his home on the Sandringham Estate and his former residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Mountbatten-Windsor was questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley Police after being detained. The police force said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to Epstein while working as the trade envoy.

Britain’s Thames Valley Police confirmed on Monday that the force was engaged in legal proceedings in relation to the issuing of warrants. The hearing will be in private, the court said.

The police force said in a statement: “Whilst our investigation into misconduct in public office continues, we are engaged in legal proceedings in relation to warrants previously obtained from the Central Criminal Court.

“As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

The former prince was forced to quit all official royal duties in 2019 over his ties with Epstein and was then stripped by his older brother of his titles and honours last October amid further revelations about their relationship.