Palace Clarifies if King Charles Will Pay for Andrew's High Court Challenge Against Police
Andrew's judicial review targets the Thames Valley Police warrants tied to his arrest.
While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been facing royal repercussions for his involvement in the Epstein scandal for months, one could argue that his arrest in February this year put a definitive full stop to his present and future in the monarchy. And that has been proven yet again, as King Charles has categorically barred his younger brother from using his private funds to finance legal claims against the police.
Despite his ouster from the Royal Lodge and essentially every royal role, the disgraced royal still receives an annual stipend from the King’s private funds. However, a Palace source recently clarified the money should not be used to pay for the Judicial Review. Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal defense is a matter between him and his lawyers. Buckingham Palace will have no part in any legal strategy or action.
The former Duke of York’s legal action against the Thames Valley Police is a bid to quash search warrants that led to his arrest for misconduct in public office. The private High Court hearing will take place on Thursday, at which the court will consider a bid by the force to restrict access to particular documents. The Thames Valley Police will clarify its position on the possible impact releasing these documents could have on its criminal investigation.
“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,” The Thames Valley Police spokesperson had previously told The Independent. “As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”
Charles has continued to maintain a distance from his younger sibling in recent years. The latter’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, has also been largely absent from the public eye. The couple’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have also faced public backlash over their parents’ connection to Jeffrey Epstein, with calls to strip them of their titles.
The legal action is the latest blow to the monarchy following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK, and Earl Spencer’s bombshell book about Princess Diana. Even for an institution that has specialized in disaster management, the frequency of controversies is bound to rattle the gilded cage.
