Prince Andrew

London Police Investigate Allegations Prince ⁢Andrew sought Information on Virginia Giuffre

London’s Metropolitan Police ​are investigating a report that Prince andrew,‌ the Duke of York, allegedly requested a police officer assigned to his security detail to gather damaging information about virginia Giuffre, his⁣ accuser in a sexual assault⁣ case. The ‌allegations surfaced following the release of emails suggesting the Prince sought to discredit Giuffre.

The ⁢investigation centers on claims that andrew asked the officer to investigate Giuffre’s background​ and potentially uncover information that could undermine her allegations. British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, speaking on‌ the BBC, described the situation as “deeply concerning” and stated that a police officer should not be “enlisted in a smear ​campaign” if the allegations‍ prove true.

the scrutiny comes after years of public controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, sued Andrew in 2021, alleging he forced her to engage‌ in sexual acts against her will when she was 17 years old and ⁣that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her ‍to him. The two⁤ reached an ​out-of-court settlement in 2022, with Andrew continuing to deny the allegations.

In response to the renewed attention, Prince Andrew released a statement asserting he⁣ continues to “vigorously deny” the accusations. He stated, “King, and my immediate and wider family, we⁢ have concluded the continued‍ accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal family. I have decided, as I always have, to ⁤put my duty to my family and contry ‌first. I stand by my decision five years ago to ⁣stand back from public life.”

The move to distance the monarchy from the scandal ⁤has been ongoing since November 2019, ⁤when Andrew stepped back from public duties and charity roles following a widely criticized BBC interview. ‌During the interview, he attempted to address media reports about his friendship with Epstein and deny Giuffre’s allegations. He ⁤was heavily criticized for a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims and for providing explanations deemed astonishing. The interview was later undermined by the emergence of emails dated 12 weeks after Andrew ⁣claimed to have ended his association with Epstein, in which he told epstein they were “in ‌this together” and needed to “rise above it.”

As ⁤a outcome⁢ of the ongoing ‌controversy, Prince Andrew has relinquished his military affiliations and royal patronages. He has also given up the titles of Duke of York, Knight Grand‌ Cross of the Royal Victorian ​Order, and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble ‍Order of the ⁤Garter. He will, however, retain the title of Prince, given to him at birth.

Giuffre’s family released a statement calling Prince Andrew’s decision to give up his royal titles “vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere,” and urged King Charles to strip him⁣ of the title​ of prince, stating, “This moment serves as 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.'” They further emphasized‌ the victory for all survivors of Epstein ⁢and his co-conspirators’ crimes.