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British police on Thursday said that search warrants they secured to search properties linked ‌to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been issued unlawfully and must be quashed, but said the investigation into King Charles' younger brother was ongoing.

Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in February, linked to his relationship with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and searches were carried out at ​properties in Sandringham, eastern England, and Windsor.

The arrest of the senior royal, eighth in line to the throne, was unprecedented ​in modern times and a Reuters photo of the ashen-faced former prince leaving the police station made front ⁠pages around the world.

POLICE ACCEPT WARRANTS NOT LAWFUL

However, subsequently Mountbatten-Windsor, who has not made any public comment since his arrest, launched ​a legal challenge and applied for the search warrants to be quashed.

Thames Valley Police said it now agreed these had not been ​properly granted by the courts.

"We accept the position that the initial court's decision to issue warrants under the specific piece of legislation used was incorrect and therefore these must be legally quashed," a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said.

"Legal proceedings are currently ongoing to decide how material seized during the searches will ​be managed and whether we can lawfully retain it in support of our ongoing investigation."

At a hearing at London's High Court on Thursday, ​Judge Nicholas Hilliard said the force was applying to keep the seized property, which Mountbatten-Windsor was opposing, and the issue would not be settled ‌until next ⁠year.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said it had not returned any material to the royal other than that which was not deemed to be connected to their investigation.

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