Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is taking British police to court over allegations that this year’s sensational searches of his homes may have broken the law.

The former prince has been granted permission to challenge whether the force acted lawfully over the searches relating to his arrest in February, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s application for a judicial review is said to have been made earlier in 2026 and recently approved by a High Court judge.

The King’s brother will challenge the legality of search warrants that allowed police to raid his residence on the Sandringham Estate and his former Windsor home, Royal Lodge, the newspaper reported.

It said a private High Court hearing this week would decide whether to release certain court documents relating to the judicial review of the actions of Thames Valley Police.

However, Mountbatten-Windsor has been warned not to use King Charles’ private money to fund his legal action against Thames Valley police.

The former Duke of York receives an annual stipend — the amount of which has not been disclosed — provided by Charles from his private funds but a Palace source said it has been made clear that these monies should not be used to fund the judicial review.

The source added Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal defence was a matter for him and his lawyers, and that Buckingham Palace has no role in determining its strategy or actions.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office following allegations he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while the then Duke of York was a British trade envoy.

The former prince is driven away from a police station after his arrest in February. Photo: X

After his arrest, Mountbatten-Windsor was driven to a police station about 60 kilometres from his home. He was questioned for almost 12 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office, before eventually being released.

The police investigation continues.

Mountbatten-Windsor is the most senior royal figure to be arrested in modern times.

This latest development is also thought to be 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.

It all comes a year after the King stripped his younger brother of his right to be a prince and his dukedom over his association with the convicted sex offender.

Mountbatten-Windsor had a longstanding relationship with Epstein.

The late Virginia Giuffre alleged that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her to the former prince, who forced her to have sex with him three times — including when she was 17. Mountbatten-Windsor denied the allegations, and settled a civil lawsuit Giuffre brought against him in 2022.

Mountbatten-Windsor was also ordered to give up his long lease of historic Royal Lodge, on the Windsor Estate, when he lost his titles. He moved earlier this year to a much more modest property on the King’s Sandringham Estate.

At the time of the former prince’s arrest, Buckingham Palace said the King received no warning it was coming. In a statement at the time, he said “the law must take its course” and expressed his “deepest concern” about the allegations.

“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities,” he said.

Mountbatten-Windsor and Thames Valley Police have been approached for comment.

-with AAP