{
  "id": 12114894,
  "title": "Ex-prince Andrew takes UK police to court to ‘quash’ Epstein affair search warrants",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/ex-prince-andrew-takes-uk-police-to-court-to-quash-epstein-affair",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T09:07:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3369800/ex-prince-andrew-takes-uk-police-court-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has initiated a High Court legal battle, seeking to \"quash\" search warrants issued by UK police prior to his February 19 arrest, the judiciary has announced. The private court hearing, scheduled for Thursday, sees the 66-year-old challenge Thames Valley Police over the searches of his former and current residences on royal estates. Andrew was detained on his birthday, suspected of misconduct in public office linked to his ties with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was released the same day, still under investigation. The ex-prince maintains his innocence. The police conducted searches at both Sandringham estate in eastern England and his former Royal Lodge residence in Windsor, west London. The Daily Telegraph first reported the legal challenge, noting it's the first time a British royal has contested the legality of criminal proceedings since 1649. His legal team aims to scrutinize the lawfulness of the search warrants issued by the Central Criminal Court, known formally as the Old Bailey. The judiciary's press office confirmed the case involves an application by Andrew for a judicial review to quash the search warrants issued on February 18, 2026. A police statement revealed they are currently engaging in legal proceedings regarding the warrants while maintaining an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office. New revelations from US documents, released this year, included emails where Andrew allegedly shared confidential information with Epstein.",
  "summary": "Britain’s disgraced former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has launched a High Court challenge “to quash search warrants” obtained by police ahead of his arrest earlier this year, the judiciary has confirmed. The London court was set to hold a private hearing on Thursday, the judiciary said in a statement on Monday, as King Charles’ brother challenged Thames Valley Police over searches of his…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Ex-prince Andrew taking police to court over arrest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/ex-prince-andrew-taking-police-to-court-over-arrest",
        "published": "2026-10-05T07:38:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Ex-prince Andrew asks court to 'quash' Epstein affair search warrants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/ex-prince-andrew-asks-court-to-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants",
        "published": "2026-10-05T08:34:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Ex-prince Andrew launches bid to ‘quash’ Epstein-affair search warrants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/ex-prince-andrew-launches-bid-to-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants",
        "published": "2026-10-05T08:36:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Ex-prince Andrew asks court to 'quash' Epstein affair search warrants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/ex-prince-andrew-asks-court-to-quash-epstein-affair-search-warrants-12116468",
        "published": "2026-10-05T09:10:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "title": "Former Prince Andrew files legal action to quash warrants that led to residence searches",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/former-prince-andrew-files-legal-action-to-quash-warrants-that-led-to",
        "published": "2026-10-05T10:01:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}