There has been plenty happening in royal news this week, with Andrew challenging the warrants used to search his homes, a book apparently gifted by Meghan to Princess Eugenie appearing on eBay, and King Charles preparing for a Caribbean tour where Britain’s history of slavery will be on the agenda. Kate joined a community minibus outing in West Sussex, while William was reminded of the days when he sold CDs at a car boot sale.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has launched a legal challenge over the search warrants used by Thames Valley Police to search two properties earlier this year, adding another development to the investigation into his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.
The action was confirmed on Monday, October 5, with a private High Court hearing scheduled for Thursday, October 8. His lawyers are asking the court to examine whether the warrants authorising searches at Sandringham and his former home, Royal Lodge in Windsor, were lawfully obtained.
Andrew was arrested on February 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The investigation concerns allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as Britain’s trade envoy. He was questioned for around 11 hours before being released under investigation, without being charged, and has denied wrongdoing.
The legal challenge concerns the warrants used to conduct the searches, rather than a ruling on the allegations against him. Even if Andrew succeeds in challenging those warrants, that will not automatically bring the broader investigation to an end.
Police have confirmed that their investigation continues while the legal proceedings take place. Thursday’s hearing is expected to consider whether documents relating to the challenge can be released, so it may be some time before the full arguments become public.
There is also the matter of who will cover the bill. A palace source has said Charles has made clear that the private money he provides to Andrew must not be used to fund the judicial review. The case, the source said, is a matter for Andrew and his legal team.
Charles continues to provide private financial support towards his brother’s life at Sandringham, while Andrew also receives a Royal Navy pension. His full financial circumstances are unknown, but the message from the palace appears clear enough: help with living expenses does not extend to paying for this legal fight.
For Andrew, the court challenge opens another chapter in a saga that has already cost him his royal duties, titles and Windsor home. It also brings renewed attention to an investigation that remains unresolved.
Most of us have passed on a book at some point, but a copy of Meghan’s The Bench apparently inscribed to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank has caused considerably more fuss than the usual charity shop donation.
London bookseller Drive Easy’s Signed Books listed the first edition for £19,999.99, roughly A$38,000. The $26,500 figure appearing in overseas coverage was in US dollars, although whichever currency you choose, it is an ambitious asking price for a children’s book.
The message inside was dated 2021 and addressed to “Eug and Jack”. It referred to Meghan writing the original poem at Frogmore and expressed the hope that Eugenie would experience the same love between a father and son with her own family. The inscription ended with “All love, Meghan.”
Eugenie and Jack welcomed their first son, August, in February 2021 and were living at Frogmore Cottage, giving the apparent dedication a personal connection to both the family and the house. The seller described the volume as a presentation copy, but the inscription’s authenticity and how the book reached the dealer have not been publicly established.
The listing inevitably prompted speculation that Eugenie had sold a gift from Meghan. According to a source quoted by royal commentator Rob Shuter, however, Eugenie contacted Meghan herself to explain. Apparently, she was horrified the book had somehow ended up for sale and assured Meghan she would never knowingly sell or discard a present. Although the conversation has not yet been confirmed.
That still leaves the question of how the book ended up on eBay?
The listing ended on October 2, with no confirmation of whether the book sold or was withdrawn. A five-figure asking price is one thing; finding someone prepared to pay it is another. For now, the mystery remains, along with plenty of speculation about a book that was supposed to celebrate family life.
Kate’s outing in West Sussex brought a change of pace, as she joined a community minibus collecting residents for their regular Wednesday lunch.
The Princess of Wales visited Pulborough on September 30 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of West Sussex Minibus, a volunteer-led transport organisation that helps people get out and stay connected. Among the passengers was 94-year-old retired school cook Stella Drewett, who had a wonderful response to being told a celebrity would be joining them.
“When they said: ‘It will be a celebrity,’ I said: ‘I don’t know any celebrities.’”
Kate greeted Stella at her front door, helped as she moved along the garden path with her walking frame and stayed close while she climbed aboard. Stella uses the bus for shopping and the weekly lunch at Pulborough Village Hall, describing the lunch as “one day of not cooking”.
There is plenty to like about an outing that provides transport, company and someone else doing the cooking.
Kate travelled with the passengers and joined the community lunch, hearing about the friendships formed through the service and the difference it makes to residents who struggle to access public transport.
The royal visit attracted attention, but the volunteers have been providing these connections for half a century. A shopping trip or lunch might sound ordinary, yet having a reliable way to leave the house and see familiar faces can make an enormous difference to someone’s week.
Charles is preparing for an autumn tour of The Bahamas, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda, with Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade expected to receive close attention.
The tour runs from October 27 to November 4. Charles will visit The Bahamas and Guyana alone before Camilla joins him in Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Buckingham Palace has said the programme will not “shy away” from “the darkest days of our past”, as Caribbean nations continue to press former colonial powers over the lasting consequences of slavery.
However, the palace has also made clear that formal apologies and reparations are matters for the British government. Charles is not expected to issue a formal apology during the tour, and the government has ruled out paying reparations.
The King has previously acknowledged the atrocities of slavery and supported research into the monarchy’s historical connections with the trade. His remarks will be closely watched, particularly by those seeking action alongside acknowledgment.
The programmes have been developed with the host governments to reflect their priorities, with the palace emphasising the countries’ present and future alongside their shared history. Managing all of that will require considerably more than the usual diplomatic pleasantries.
William’s visit to Monmouthshire brought an unexpected reminder of his early experience selling CDs.
While meeting residents about flooding and conservation, the Prince of Wales encountered Rod and Helen Wyatt, who remembered buying a CD from him at a bric-a-brac stall on the Glanusk Estate, the family home of his former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke.
“Dodgy car boot sale, yes, I remember that” William replied.
Asked whether he was still selling, he joked: “It’s dried up a bit, that one. Perhaps I should reopen it.”
The couple could not remember which CD they bought, so we have been denied the chance to assess the future king’s musical stock. Still, being recognised by an old car boot customer probably was not on William’s briefing notes for the day.
Until next time keep the tea hot and your tiaras polished. For more Royal stories click here.
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