Prince Andrew Under Investigation for Allegedly Seeking Personal Information on Virginia Giuffre

Prince Andrew Under Investigation for Allegedly Seeking Personal Information on Virginia Giuffre

Prince Andrew is now facing scrutiny from the Metropolitan Police as they investigate claims that he asked one of his security officers to obtain personal information about Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre had previously accused the royal of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager.

On October 19, The Mail on Sunday unveiled leaked emails alleging that Andrew, 65, shared Giuffre’s date of birth and her Social Security number with his bodyguard. Furthermore, he suggested that she might have a criminal record in the United States.

The emails in question were reportedly sent just hours before the 2011 release of a well-known photograph depicting Andrew with an underage Giuffre. Giuffre tragically passed away in April at the age of 41. According to The Mail on Sunday, there is no indication that the security officer acted upon Andrew’s alleged request. Moreover, Giuffre’s family has publicly stated that she did not possess a criminal record.

Official Response from the Metropolitan Police

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated, “We are aware of media reports and are actively looking into the claims made.” However, representatives from both the police and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comments from media outlets.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace had previously informed Fox News Digital that the palace refrains from commenting on Prince Andrew, as he is no longer a working royal.

U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, during his appearance on BBC One’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg,” described the allegations as profoundly disturbing. He insisted they should be investigated thoroughly: “It’s absolutely not the way that close protection officers should be used,” Miliband remarked.

The emergence of these leaked emails came shortly after Andrew announced his decision to relinquish his royal titles and honors, following accusations linking him to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while facing severe federal sex trafficking charges.

On Friday, Andrew issued a statement after excerpts from Giuffre’s upcoming posthumous memoir were made public. Giuffre has accused Epstein and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell of trafficking her and claimed that she had sexual relations with Andrew when she was 17.

Andrew’s statement read, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded that the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. Therefore, I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to step back from public life.”

With the agreement of King Charles, Andrew declared, “I will no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me. I have said previously that I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” Although he no longer bears the title of Duke of York, Prince Andrew remains a prince as he is the son of the late Queen Elizabeth. His title as His Royal Highness has been inactive since 2019 when he distanced himself from royal duties.

Giuffre’s Family Reacts

Following the news of Andrew’s decision, Giuffre’s family issued a statement to Fox News Digital. They expressed their belief that the royal’s choice to forfeit his titles serves as a vindication for their sister and survivors globally. They described Andrew’s action as a significant stride in their ongoing battle to hold Epstein and Maxwell’s child sex-trafficking operation accountable.

The statement emphasized, “This moment signifies victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, ‘He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there’s only one of us telling the truth, and I know that’s me.’ This victory is not solely for her but for every single survivor of the horrific offenses committed by Epstein and his associates.”

The family pointed to emails between Epstein and Prince Andrew from 2011 as evidence that contradicts the royal’s assertion he ended all contact with Epstein in 2010.

They concluded their statement by calling for an end to the impunity often granted to powerful individuals: “We hope that the days of protection for predators are over, and accountability and justice for all survivors becomes the standard. We will work tirelessly to achieve this goal in the United States and beyond.”

A Legal Battle Ignites

In 2021, Giuffre filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against Andrew in New York, where he refuted all allegations. He claimed he had never met her and suggested the photograph of them together might be fake. After a U.S. judge declined to dismiss Andrew’s attempt to dismiss the case, the two parties reached a settlement in February 2022.

Though Andrew did not accept liability, he agreed to pay Giuffre an undisclosed sum and donate to a charity that supports victims of abuse.

As the investigation unfolds, the implications of these revelations continue to resonate, shedding light on the complexities and dark realities surrounding high-profile individuals and their interactions with alleged victims.

Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.