The Metropolitan Police is currently looking into allegations that Prince Andrew solicited a police officer to gather information on Virginia Giuffre, who has accused him of sexual abuse.
This comes after Andrew was stripped of his royal title, Duke of York, following a tumultuous fall from grace earlier this week. Reports indicate that back in 2011, he emailed his mother’s deputy press secretary, giving law enforcement personal details about Giuffre, including her social security number.
These claims emerge nearly ten years after Giuffre alleged that she was coerced into sexual encounters with members of the royal family during her time with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
In response to the media reports, the Metropolitan Police stated, “We are aware of the claims and are actively investigating.” This was communicated to the London Times.
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he did not engage in any sexual misconduct with Giuffre.
In the email to the Queen’s late press secretary, Ed Perkins, Andrew stated that Giuffre “has a criminal history” in the United States, and provided her date of birth and social security number for investigatory purposes. This was during a time when Giuffre was just 17, shortly before the now-infamous photo depicting Andrew with his arm around her waist was made public.
That photograph also included Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate. It’s unclear whether the police acted on Andrew’s request, but legal experts have suggested this could violate Giuffre’s right to privacy and might have legal consequences for the prince.
Giuffre’s family has denied any claims of her having a criminal background. Tragically, she took her own life at age 41 in April, following years of alleging that Andrew raped her as a minor after she was trafficked through Epstein’s network.
In 2021, she filed a lawsuit against Andrew, which was settled out of court in 2022 for approximately $12 million.
Following the renewed scrutiny of his ties to Epstein, Andrew decided to step down from his roles as Duke of York and Knight of the Order of the Garter, as announced in a statement he made on Friday.
Although he denied the allegations, Queen Elizabeth stripped him of his military titles due to the ongoing scandal. In his statement, Andrew mentioned that the decision came after discussions with King Charles III and his family, emphasizing that he prioritized his duty to them.
This move occurs in the midst of rising tensions surrounding King Charles and Queen Camilla’s upcoming visit to the Vatican, a significant event as it marks a historical moment with the British monarch and a pope praying together publicly for the first time since the Reformation.
