London — King Bars Private Funds From Andrew's Police Case

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor cannot use the private allowance King Charles provides him to pay for his legal challenge against Thames Valley Police and the Central Criminal Court, a royal source told BBC News.

The King funds his brother's living arrangements out of his own private money. That money, the source said, should not go toward the judicial review Mountbatten-Windsor is seeking over the search warrants issued ahead of his arrest in February.

What did the royal source say about the funding?

The King provides a private allowance to support Mountbatten-Windsor and to accommodate him on the Sandringham estate, according to the BBC. A royal source said that support is not meant to underwrite a legal fight against the police and the court that authorized the warrants against him.

Buckingham Palace does not speak for Mountbatten-Windsor. He is not a working royal, and the palace has stayed out of his legal battle. But the funding line is different: it comes directly from the King, not from the institution, and the source's comment marks a deliberate distancing from how Mountbatten-Windsor spends it.

Why was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested?

Mountbatten-Windsor — the former Prince Andrew — was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after information surfaced from the Epstein files in the United States, the BBC reported. He was photographed leaving a police station in February, and his detention lasted 11 hours, spanning his birthday. He has consistently denied wrongdoing linked to his association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At the time of the arrest, the King said "the law must take its course," according to the BBC. That line now sits alongside the palace's position that royal money should stay out of the court fight.

What is Andrew challenging in court?

Mountbatten-Windsor's lawyers are challenging the lawfulness of warrants used to search Sandringham and Royal Lodge, the BBC reported. The warrants were issued by a judge at the Central Criminal Court on 18 February, the day before his arrest. He is seeking a judicial review of their legality — his first public response since the arrest.

A court hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon is part of his bid to have the warrants quashed, according to the BBC.

What has Thames Valley Police said?

Thames Valley Police confirmed it is "engaged in legal proceedings in relation to warrants previously obtained from the Central Criminal Court," the force said in a statement carried by the BBC. It added: "As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."

How does the King's private money differ from public funding?

The allowance for Mountbatten-Windsor is not drawn from the Sovereign Grant — the £138 million in public funding that supports the monarchy, according to the BBC. It instead comes from the King's private resources, which include income from the Duchy of Lancaster, private estates, investments and inheritances.

The arrangement traces back to when Mountbatten-Windsor moved from his previous home at Royal Lodge in Windsor, the BBC reported. The amount the King gives his brother has not been disclosed.

Glossary

Sovereign Grant — Public funding, currently £138 million, that supports the monarchy's official duties, separate from the King's private money.

Duchy of Lancaster — A private estate that generates income for the sovereign, independent of taxpayer funds.

Judicial review — A court process in which a judge examines whether a decision by a public body, such as issuing a search warrant, was lawful.

Central Criminal Court — Commonly known as the Old Bailey, the court that issued the warrants used to search Sandringham and Royal Lodge.

The hearing Thursday will not resolve the broader question of whether Mountbatten-Windsor faces further action. It will address only whether the warrants that led to the February searches should stand.

What titles has Mountbatten-Windsor lost?

Mountbatten-Windsor lost his titles as a prince and as Duke of York over his connections to Epstein, the BBC reported. He now goes by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor rather than Prince Andrew, reflecting the formal stripping of his royal styles.

The loss of those titles predates the February arrest and the current court fight over the search warrants. It marks an earlier stage in his separation from official royal life, one that left him without a working role even as the King continued to fund his private living arrangements at Sandringham.

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