Thames Valley Police has acknowledged in the High Court that the search warrants executed at the homes of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor earlier this year were unlawful. This admission comes as part of a judicial review initiated by the former prince to challenge the police actions surrounding the raids conducted on February 19.
During the proceedings, it was confirmed that authorities seized various documents and electronic devices from properties in Norfolk and Berkshire. The force formally accepted that the initial judicial decision to issue these warrants under the specific legislative framework applied at the time was incorrect. Consequently, the warrants have been quashed, though the items seized remain in police custody while the legal dispute over their status continues.
The underlying criminal investigation stems from allegations of misconduct in public office. The case gained momentum following the release of documents by the US Department of Justice, which indicated that Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared confidential information with a convicted sex offender while serving as a UK trade envoy in 2010. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding his past associations.
Addressing the court, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police clarified that the decision to quash the warrants was based strictly on the legal technicalities of their issuance. The force emphasized that this outcome does not represent a judgment on the substance of their ongoing investigation. Police maintain they provided the necessary documentation and followed standard legal processes when seeking the original authorization from the court.
The specific criteria for the warrants had required reasonable grounds to exclude sensitive documents related to private business or confidential professional undertakings. The force now concedes that the judge who granted the authorization could not have been certain that these criteria were fully met at the time. The conditions for the warrants were that there had to be reasonable grounds for believing that any documents used for business or in a paid or unpaid role in which an undertaking of confidence had been given should not be seized.
Despite the legal setback regarding the search warrants, the investigation into alleged misconduct by the man in his 60s remains active. Thames Valley Police stated they are continuing to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry to progress the case. Meanwhile, further legal proceedings are scheduled to determine the management and potential retention of the material collected during the February searches. Legal proceedings are currently ongoing to decide how material seized during the searches will be managed and whether we can lawfully retain it in support of our ongoing investigation.
