Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has won a legal challenge after Thames Valley Police agreed that search warrants used to search his properties were unlawful. The agreement was reached during a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday, 8 October, which Andrew did not attend.
Sky News interrupted its broadcast to share the update. Journalist Jayne Secker reported: "He [Andrew] has taken Thames Valley Police to court today, to the Royal Court. This is about the search of his property. He said that he felt that the search was unlawful. Well, in a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday, which Andrew did not attend, Mr Justice Hilliard said an agreement was reached between the claimant and Thames Valley Police that the search warrants were unlawful."
Judge's ruling on the investigation
Secker added that the judge clarified the ruling does not end the broader investigation. She said: "But, the judge also said that the fact the search warrants were quashed does not bring an investigation to an end, or mean that the whole of the investigation was unlawful."
Thames Valley Police released an official statement following the hearing. A spokesperson said: "On 22 July, the High Court quashed search warrants granted on 18 February 2026 for two properties in Norfolk and Berkshire that were searched as part of Thames Valley Police's ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office by a man in his 60s from Norfolk."
Police statement on the ongoing case
The spokesperson continued: "The agreement that led to the quashing of the warrants relates specifically to a decision made by the court regarding the legal basis for these and is not a judgment on our ongoing investigation. We ensured the court was presented with all the necessary information and paperwork to inform their decision, following the correct legal processes throughout."
They added: "We accept the position that the initial court's decision to issue warrants under the specific piece of legislation used was incorrect and therefore these must be legally quashed. 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."
The statement concluded: "Our investigation into alleged misconduct in public office by a man in his 60s from Norfolk remains ongoing, and we continue to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to effectively and fairly progress this investigation. Due to these ongoing legal proceedings, we cannot currently provide further comment."
