Hours after Prince Andrew announced he was relinquishing his royal titles, a new revelation claims the former Duke of York attempted to dig up dirt on his accuser, Virginia Giuffre
The Metropolitan Police is now looking into disturbing new claims about Prince Andrew, as a newly published bombshell email allegedly suggests that the disgraced ex-duke attempted to smear his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
The former Duke of York has vehemently denied accusations that he had sex with Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia, who died earlier this year, when she was 17, and has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing. His friendship with convicted paedophile Epstein, however, has continued to cast a long shadow over his role within the Royal Family.
Five years ago, the 65-year-old stepped back from partaking in public duties. Now, he has voluntarily relinquished the use of his titles and honours, with agreement from his elder brother, King Charles III. In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on Friday evening, Andrew revealed that he will no longer use his “title or the honours which have been conferred upon me”, in what he has described as a decision “to put my duty to my family and the country first”.
In recent days, however, yet more revelations of alleged behaviour have emerged that will make it very difficult for The Firm to put the so-called ‘Andrew problem’ to one side.
READ MORE: Prince Andrew LIVE: Disgraced royal cancels Sarah Ferguson’s birthday bashAndrew pictured with Virginia Giuffre – he has always denied her claims of sexual abuse(Image: US District Court – Southern Dis)
The Mail on Sunday has claimed that Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded Met bodyguard to look into Virginia, even passing on her date of birth and confidential social security number in an apparent bid to dig up dirt. There is no suggestion that the officer complied with this request.
The MoS reports that, in February 2011, mere hours before the Mail published the now notorious snap of Andrew with his arm around Virginia at Ghislaine Maxwell’s Belgravia mews house, Andrew sent an email to Ed Perkins, then press secretary to his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
In this email, Andrew is said to have told Perkins: “It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].”
A Met spokesperson stated late last night that they were “actively looking into the claims made”. Meanwhile, Virginia’s relatives, who have confirmed she didn’t have a criminal record, have stated that these new claims “expose the lengths to which those implicated try to discredit and defame survivors.” The family is also now requesting an investigation into how Andrew allegedly obtained this private information.
This morning, Victoria Derbyshire interrupted Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg to deliver the Met’s update. She told viewers: “I want to give you this breaking news if I may, it’s from the Metropolitan Police. They say they are going to look into claims that Prince Andrew ordered his bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse. She says she was forced to have sex with him when she was 17.”
In response to this news, broadcaster Emily Maitlis, whose bombshell BBC Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew in 2019 expedited his downfall, replied: “I’m glad that they are.”
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