Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has filed a legal challenge at the High Court in London seeking to quash search warrants that authorized police searches of two of his homes earlier this year.

A judicial spokesperson confirmed the claim had been filed, with a hearing scheduled for Thursday. The hearing is expected to begin in private, with the judge first considering a police application to restrict access to court documents in the matter.

The warrants were issued by a judge at the Central Criminal Court on February 18. The following day, Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was questioned for 11 hours before being released under investigation, meaning he was neither charged nor exonerated.

The legal challenge is directed against the chief constable of Thames Valley Police and the Central Criminal Court.

Police searched Mountbatten-Windsor's property at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham royal estate in eastern England and his former home, Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate. The searches continued for several days after his arrest.

The arrest was made on his 66th birthday and followed a series of revelations from documents released by the United States Department of Justice as part of its investigation into sex trafficking by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Among the documents were emails appearing to show official materials being shared by Mountbatten-Windsor with Epstein and others during his time as the United Kingdom's trade envoy.

Thames Valley Police confirmed Monday that its investigation into misconduct in public office was continuing. The force said it had been working with the United States Department of Justice to obtain further information related to the inquiry. Detectives also noted that allegations of sexual misconduct could be considered as part of the 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 force said in a statement. "As these legal proceedings are currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."

The legal action is the first public pushback from Mountbatten-Windsor since his arrest. He has lost his royal titles, his home, and his public status, with charities and businesses distancing themselves from him.

King Charles stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his princely title after emails showed he had maintained links with Epstein beyond the point at which he had publicly stated those links had been severed. Following the arrest, Charles issued a statement departing from the royal family's traditional silence on such matters.

"Let me state clearly: the law must take its course," Charles said at the time. "As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter."

Criminal lawyer Nick Vamos, a former head of special crime at the Crown Prosecution Service, said disputes over search warrants were not uncommon, and cautioned that a successful challenge would not automatically benefit Mountbatten-Windsor.

"Even if Andrew succeeds in having the search warrants quashed, that would not necessarily be the victory it might first appear," Vamos said.

He explained that if police lost on a technical error, they could still apply to retain material obtained during the search. "The police can apply back to the Crown Court to retain the material if they have grounds to immediately seize it again," Vamos said. Only a more fundamental flaw in the granting of the warrants would require police to return the seized material, he added.

Mountbatten-Windsor's relationship with Epstein had been a source of controversy for the royal family for more than a decade, forcing him to step back from royal duties in 2019. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein.

The arrest was reported to be the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal had been placed under arrest.