Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Files Legal Action Against Police Over Arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has filed for a judicial review to assess the legality of his birthday arrest and the home search warrants executed in February. The former prince, aged 66, is taking legal action against the Thames Valley Police following his detention on suspicion of misconduct in public office and allegations of sending confidential trade documents to Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by the Telegraph on Sunday. A High Court judge has approved the application, and a private hearing to determine the release of legal documents related to the review is set for Thursday. A senior insider from the London Metropolitan Police expressed surprise at Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, questioning why he was not invited to the police station for questioning prior to his detention. On February 19, he was taken from his home at the Sandringham Estate in eastern England to the Aylsham Police Station, where he was held for 11 hours. Upon arrival, an officer confirmed that the grounds for his arrest were lawful. While in custody, he had his mugshot and fingerprints taken and was required to submit a saliva sample. Police also conducted searches at the Sandringham Estate and his former residence, the Royal Lodge, while he was away. Following the arrest, King Charles expressed his 'deepest concern' regarding the allegations against the Duke of York, stating that the investigation must be conducted properly and that the law should take its course. Mountbatten-Windsor is accused of sending Epstein reports regarding trips to Singapore and Vietnam during his tenure as the Special Representative for International Trade from 2001 to 2011. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing, despite his past friendship with Epstein, who died in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Mountbatten-Windsor resigned from royal duties in 2019 amid scrutiny and was stripped of military affiliations and royal patronages in 2022. In 2021, he faced allegations of sexual abuse from Virginia Giuffre, which he denied, and they reached a settlement before her death in April 2025.