Prince Andrew faces renewed police scrutiny following revelations that he requested assistance in 2011 to investigate Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused him of sexually abusing her as a teenager. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed Sunday they are “actively looking into” the allegations published by the Mail on Sunday, marking a fresh complication for the 65-year-old royal just days after he relinquished his Duke of York title.
The newly reported allegations suggest Andrew sought to discredit Giuffre years before the sexual abuse accusations became public. According to the Mail on Sunday, Andrew allegedly sent an email to Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary requesting that one of his personal protection officers investigate Giuffre’s background. The email reportedly included her date of birth and social security number, with Andrew claiming he believed she had a criminal record in the United States. Giuffre’s family told the newspaper she possessed no such criminal record.
The timing of the revelation adds pressure on Andrew at a vulnerable moment. On Friday, he announced he would cease using his Duke of York title, citing the need to protect the Royal Family from distraction caused by the decades-old accusations he has repeatedly denied. Yet the Sunday report demonstrates the scandal remains an active legal and reputational matter rather than a historical footnote.
The Metropolitan Police statement indicated formal investigation is now underway. A police spokesperson confirmed, “We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made.” The force did not specify what charges or offences they are examining, though potential lines of inquiry might include misuse of police resources or obstruction of justice, depending on whether Andrew’s request was acted upon by authorities.
The Mail on Sunday noted there is no suggestion that Andrew’s protection officer actually complied with the request. That detail may prove significant for prosecutors determining whether potential obstruction actually occurred or whether the request remained unrealised. Yet the existence of the alleged email itself constitutes evidence that Andrew sought to investigate his accuser using official channels.
Andrew’s effort to distance himself from scandal through the title relinquishment appears to have backfired immediately. His Friday statement framed the move as freeing the King and Royal Family to focus on governance without distraction. Yet the Sunday revelations transformed the narrative from Andrew voluntarily stepping back to Andrew being pushed back by accumulating legal and reputational pressure.
The accuser at the centre of this case, Virginia Giuffre, died by suicide in April after years of public battle over allegations she was trafficked and sexually abused by Andrew and others connected to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her death marked a turning point in how the scandal is discussed, yet also ensured the allegations would remain central to Andrew’s public legacy. The recent release of her memoir has revived attention to her account and the broader Epstein scandal.
Andrew’s legal troubles span years of escalating consequences. He stepped down from his role as UK trade ambassador in 2011, quit all royal duties in 2019, and was stripped of his military links and royal patronages in 2022. In 2022, he settled a civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre, though the settlement involved no admission of wrongdoing and left questions about potential criminal liability unresolved.
British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told the BBC that the new allegations were “deeply concerning,” signalling that political figures are monitoring the situation closely. The statement suggests the scandal now involves broader questions about royal accountability and institutional responsibility beyond Andrew’s personal conduct.
The Metropolitan Police investigation now creates legal uncertainty that overshadows Andrew’s attempt at redemption through title relinquishment. Whether the investigation yields charges, civil action, or simply reputational damage, the revelations have transformed Andrew’s status from a disgraced royal attempting quiet retreat to an active subject of criminal inquiry.
For Buckingham Palace, the timing creates fresh complications. The palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the allegations, suggesting officials are considering their communication strategy carefully. The silence itself may indicate institutional concern about how aggressively to defend Andrew or acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations.
The scandal underscores broader tensions within British institutions about royal accountability. Questions linger about whether Andrew received preferential treatment in previous investigations, whether his connections to the institution shielded him from earlier scrutiny, and whether the Metropolitan Police investigation will pursue lines of inquiry that might have been considered closed previously.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
