Police feared Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could call on his brother, King Charles, to intervene and prevent raids on royal properties.
Newly released court documents reveal that Thames Valley Police feared that the former Duke of York might try to block searches of his properties by insisting officers obtain permission from the British Monarch first.
The force warned that seeking approval from Buckingham Palace could cause significant delays and risk the destruction of evidence.
Legal papers from High Court proceedings show detectives applied for warrants amid fears that the disgraced royal and his legal team would claim the properties belonged to the King and that additional permission was needed before officers could enter.
Officers believed that obtaining such consent "may not be expeditious" and that pursuing it beforehand could "frustrate the nature and purpose of the search."
The Detective Chief Inspector overseeing the raids, whose identity was withheld, outlined the rationale to the Old Bailey judge who approved the warrants.
"My investigative objectives are to secure relevant evidence in a timely and secure fashion," the senior officer stated.
The officer added, "Failure to do so risks loss of evidence and a consequent loss of public trust and confidence in the investigation."
The potential loss or destruction of evidence is a standard argument made when applying for search warrants.
The DCI further warned that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and his representatives might or might not be willing to grant access, adding: "Either way I cannot risk not have an appropriate legal power to achieve my objectives."
Andrew's investigation
The investigation focused on Andrew’s tenure as Special Representative for Trade and Investment.
Police alleged he forwarded official Government reports to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 and suggested Epstein invest in a private firm in 2011.
The application also cited alleged failures to engage with previous Epstein-related inquiries, claims his lawyers called “materially and factually incorrect”.
Andrew was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
