Police raided ex-Prince Andrew’s home and arrested him. Now he’s suing

Police raided ex-Prince Andrew's home and arrested him. Now he's suing.

Key points

• Police spent days raiding Andrew's homes on the Sandringham Estate and at his former residence, Windsor's Royal Lodge.
• Police remarked they were probing the allegation that the unnamed woman "was taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes."
• Who is former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and how scandal shaped his retreat from public life.
• The younger brother of King Charles III was arrested in February over revelations published in the Epstein files by the U.S.
• LONDON – Former Prince Andrew is taking legal action against British police after searches of his royal homes that led to his arrest earlier this year.

Police raided ex-Prince Andrew's home and arrested him. Now he's suing. Jennifer Hassan USA TODAY. Who is former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Notably, the younger brother of King Charles III was arrested in February over revelations published in the Epstein files by the U.S. Department of Justice. Andrew's lawyers are now questioning if the action taken by Thames Valley Police towards him was lawful, The Telegraph first documented.

Police spent days raiding Andrew's homes on the Sandringham Estate and at his former residence, Windsor's Royal Lodge. As they searched, detectives held Andrew at a police station where he was questioned for 11 hours after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public life.

Lawyers for Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last year against the backdrop of his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, are challenging the legality of the search warrants employed in his arrest. A private hearing considering Andrew's legal challenge will take place on Oct. 8.

"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, " a Thames Valley Police spokesperson informed USA TODAY Oct. 5. "As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."

Andrew has denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein and has not been formally charged.

Andrew's legal challenge against the police additionally marks the first time a member of the royal family has challenged the lawfulness of criminal proceedings against them since the trial of Charles I in 1649, the Telegraph observed. Why was former Prince Andrew arrested?

Andrew was arrested on Feb. 19, which additionally happened to be his 66th birthday. Officers searching his royal properties removed documents and other items. He was taken to Norfolk's Aylsham police station and questioned for almost 12 hours. In practice, a photo taken of the former prince as he left the station indicated him wide-eyed and pale-faced as he slumped low in the back seat of a vehicle.

Notably, the former royal was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his time as U.K. Trade envoy, a role he held from 2001 to 2011. Documents published by the U.S. Justice Department indicate that Andrew allegedly passed confidential administration information to Epstein during his time in that role.

Misconduct in public office is a complex and sweeping offense that covers plenty of different forms including fraud, sexual misconduct and willful neglect of duty. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

King Charles has expressed backing for the police investigation, saying in an official note issued hours after Andrew's arrest that "the law must take its course."

In May, investigators remarked that as part of their investigation, they were additionally assessing claims of misconduct including potential sexual crimes and looking into reports that a second woman was sent to Britain by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew.

Notably, the arrest came after photos of Andrew emerged in the Epstein files. In one image, Andrew is seen kneeling on all fours over an unidentified woman on the ground. Among the 3 million pages of published material were emails that appeared to show that Andrew allegedly maintained regular contact with Epstein for more than two years after he was identified guilty of sex crimes.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein's trafficking victims, remarked she was coerced as a teenager into repeatedly having sex with the former prince in 2001 as part of Epstein's sex-trafficking ring. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025. Andrew has denied Giuffre's allegations against him. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, police raided ex-Prince Andrews home and arrested him. Now hes suing is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.