Prince Andrew Challenges Police Over Epstein Arrest

Reported by Vanity Fair: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, has filed a judicial review against Thames Valley Police over his arrest and the searches tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The move asks a judge to decide whether the police actions were lawful.

The case centers on the search warrants that let investigators search Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate and his former home, Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The arrest happened in February at Marsh Farm in Norfolk, on his 66th birthday. He was taken to Aylsham police station, interviewed under caution for nearly 12 hours, then released. Vanity Fair reports investigators suspected him of "serious willful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held."

A photo taken as he left the station showed him in the back of a car, visibly shaken. Investigators also spent days searching both properties for documents and other evidence.

The legal fight comes with historical weight. Vanity Fair reports, citing The Telegraph, that this is the first time since Charles I's trial in 1649 that a British royal has asked the courts to review criminal proceedings against him.

A closed-door hearing is set for the High Court later this week to decide whether parts of the court file should be made public. That decision will shape how much of this case the public gets to see.

Vanity Fair has reached out to Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.