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.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies...
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s P...
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the eastern German city of Erfurt on Saturday as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) opened ...
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in secur...
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
Uzbekistan will open an embassy in Georgia, the Central Asian country’s presidency has said. The announcement follows talks between Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Tbilisi.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the eastern German city of Erfurt on Saturday as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) opened its annual party conference, where delegates voted to keep Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as the party's co-leaders.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
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