The security arrangements around Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are being significantly overhauled after a court heard that a man accused of threatening him allegedly carried out internet searches about his personal protection before an alleged confrontation near the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Alex Jenkinson, 39, is due to stand trial on 21 December at Westminster Magistrates' Court, accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly known as Prince Andrew — during an encounter on 6 May as the former royal walked his dogs near Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate. Prosecutors claim the incident caused alarm and distress, prompting Mountbatten-Windsor and members of his private security team to retreat to a vehicle.
'Andrew's Norfolk Security': What Was On the Phone
At a hearing on Wednesday, the court was told police had recovered 340 pages of alleged internet search terms from Jenkinson's phone. Among them: 'Andrew's Norfolk Security' and 'Prince Andrew birthday.' Defence barrister Claire Howell argued the prosecution had failed to establish the relevance of the searches to the charges and challenged their evidential value, arguing the Crown had not provided sufficient detail about when or why they were carried out. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ordered prosecutors to provide further details by 15 September, with a decision on whether the material can be relied upon at trial to follow at a later hearing.
If the evidence is admitted, both sides are expected to call mobile phone experts during the proposed one-day trial. Witnesses Stephen Terry and Michael Duncan are also expected to give evidence. Mountbatten-Windsor himself is expected to testify via video link from a location yet to be disclosed.
'Every Precaution' Being Taken
A source familiar with the case told RadarOnline.com that the alleged searches had already prompted a significant response from those responsible for Mountbatten-Windsor's security.
"The alleged online searches have inevitably raised fresh questions about security. While they have yet to be tested in court, any suggestion that someone was researching personal protection arrangements is treated seriously when assessing potential risks."
The source added that potential vulnerabilities were being carefully reviewed, with security described as being "massively tightened as a result."
Mountbatten-Windsor no longer receives publicly funded police protection. He lost that entitlement after being stripped of his military affiliations and royal duties in 2022 following his settlement of a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre over allegations connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has consistently denied those allegations and has always maintained he did not engage in any wrongdoing. Although he agreed to settle the civil claim for a reported multimillion-dollar sum, the settlement contained no admission of liability. He now relies on privately funded security.
Trial Set for December
Wednesday's hearing had originally been scheduled as the trial date, but Chief Magistrate Goldspring postponed proceedings over concerns about Jenkinson's mental health. The defendant was not present in court.
Jenkinson pleaded not guilty to two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour — one relating to Mountbatten-Windsor and one relating to a separate individual, Stephen Terry, in King's Lynn the day before the Sandringham incident. He previously admitted a separate offence of failing to provide a blood specimen after officers suspected him of driving on the same day as the alleged confrontation, and was handed an interim driving disqualification.
As part of his bail conditions, Jenkinson is barred from entering Norfolk, contacting Mountbatten-Windsor directly or indirectly, or visiting any of a number of royal residences including Sandringham, Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Windsor Castle and Highgrove. Goldspring specifically named Mountbatten-Windsor in the bail order — rather than referring more broadly to members of the royal family — to avoid any ambiguity over his constitutional status.
Mountbatten-Windsor has been living in the village of Wolferton after leaving Royal Lodge in Windsor. The December trial will be closely watched, not least for what it may reveal about the realities of private security for a former senior royal operating without the protection of the state.
