The Metropolitan Police said on Sunday that it is “actively” looking into media reports that Prince Andrew attempted to obtain personal information about his late accuser, Virginia Giuffre, through his police protection officers.
“We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made,” the force said.
Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, had claimed she was sexually exploited by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his circle, including being forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17 at the London home of Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Prince Andrew allegedly asked a Metropolitan Police bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre shortly before the newspaper published a photograph of their first meeting in February 2011. Reports indicate he provided her date of birth and U.S. Social Security number, seemingly suggesting she had a criminal record. The Sunday Telegraph also reported that the prince sought to “dig up dirt” on Giuffre.
Prince Andrew has not commented on these latest reports but has consistently denied all allegations against him. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
Emily Maitlis, who conducted the 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with the prince, described the reports as “a long time coming,” noting that emails from February 2011 appear to contradict Andrew’s claim that he had severed ties with Epstein in 2010. One email reportedly read: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!” Maitlis said it “does not suggest that he had ever finished that friendship.”
Prince Andrew has faced a series of scandals over recent years, including an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre in 2022 following a civil case. A posthumous memoir by Ms Giuffre, due to be released next week, is expected to bring renewed attention to his connections with Epstein and her allegations.
Speaking on BBC One, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the claims “deeply concerning,” emphasizing that close protection officers should not be used in such a manner.
On Friday, Prince Andrew announced he would voluntarily step back from using his royal titles, including the Duke of York designation, and give up membership of the Order of the Garter, further reducing his formal royal role. He had previously ceased to be a “working royal” and lost the use of the HRH title.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jenny Bond said public pressure on Andrew is likely to continue, stressing that the focus remains on the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, including Virginia Giuffre.
Russian forces struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Wednesday, December 3USSIA, dropping nine aerial bombs in a single day, regional auth...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that recent attacks on Russia-linked tankers in the Black Sea endanger regional safety and commerce, h...
President Donald Trump made significant remarks on Wednesday, touching on various major topics including the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Russi...
At least eight people, including two children, were wounded after Russian forces launched an aerial bombardment on the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovi...
On December 2-3, the second meeting of the Heads of Mapping Institutions of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Baku....
Russian forces struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Wednesday, December 3USSIA, dropping nine aerial bombs in a single day, regional authorities said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that recent attacks on Russia-linked tankers in the Black Sea endanger regional safety and commerce, highlighting the expanding reach of the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin accepted certain proposals from the United States on ending the war in Ukraine while rejecting others, and indicated that Russia is ready to continue negotiations until an agreement is reached.
Tensions escalated at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal’s capital as students clashed with security forces demanding stipends and financial aid amid the country’s deepening economic crisis.
A four-part docuseries executive produced by Curtis '50 cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton on Netflix is at the centre of controversy online.
Chinese scientists have unveiled a new gene-editing therapy that they say could lead to a functional cure for HIV, making it one of the most promising developments in decades of global research.
As the year comes to an end, a new initiative bringing civil society actors and regional analysts from Armenia and Azerbaijan together is steadily gaining ground.
Uzbekistan has reopened its border with Afghanistan for the first time since 2021, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Tuesday.
Belgian police have raided the EU’s diplomatic service and the College of Europe as part of a corruption probe into an EU-funded training academy for diplomats, detaining three suspects and searching multiple premises, according to Politico.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that his country is preparing meetings in the United States with representatives of President Donald Trump, as diplomatic efforts continue to secure a dignified peace and reinforce pressure on Russia.
Vilnius Airport in Lithuania suspended operations on Wednesday after suspected balloons were spotted in its airspace, marking the latest in a series of similar incidents near the Belarus border.
Russian forces struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Wednesday, December 3USSIA, dropping nine aerial bombs in a single day, regional authorities said.
President Donald Trump made significant remarks on Wednesday, touching on various major topics including the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Russia-Ukraine peace talks, and his controversial fuel economy proposal.
At least eight people, including two children, were wounded after Russian forces launched an aerial bombardment on the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Wednesday, according to the regional governor.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment