Investigating Claims Against Prince Andrew
British police announced on Sunday that they are looking into allegations that Prince Andrew solicited information to undermine Virginia Giuffre, who has accused him of sexual assault.
This development comes shortly after Andrew stepped back from his royal duties on Friday, facing increasing scrutiny from King Charles III related to his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are probing claims reported by the Mail on Sunday, stating that Andrew allegedly attempted to discredit Giuffre, who has accused him of assaulting her when she was just 17 years old.
At 65, Andrew has consistently denied the accusations, which have caused significant distress to the royal family, leading to his effective withdrawal from public life in recent years.
According to the Mail on Sunday, documents reveal that in 2011, Andrew provided Giuffre’s date of birth and social security number to state-funded police for further investigation.
“We are aware of the media reports and are actively investigating the allegations,” a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated.
The article mentioned that Andrew’s request coincided with a controversial photo of him with Giuffre taken in London, where he seems to have his arm around her waist.
Reports indicated he had sent an email to the then-deputy press secretary of the late Queen Elizabeth II, asking for a bodyguard, though it seems there was no follow-up.
The email is said to have been uncovered from documents related to a U.S. Congressional inquiry.
Giuffre, who accused Epstein of trafficking her, stated that she had sexual encounters with Andrew on several occasions, including when he was underage.
He has rebutted all of Giuffre’s claims and managed to avoid trial in the civil case by opting to pay out millions in settlements.
With Giuffre’s posthumous memoir set to be published next week, these allegations are gaining renewed attention.
Giuffre, who held dual citizenship in the U.S. and Australia, tragically took her own life in April. Epstein also died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.
Additionally, Andrew formally resigned from the distinguished Order of the Garter, the UK’s oldest knighthood, established in the 1300s.
Giuffre’s brother, Skye Roberts, has urged King Charles to take further action, suggesting that Andrew should be stripped of his prince title entirely. “I believe he can do more,” Roberts remarked in an ITV News interview.
