Featured Image Credit: Getty/Chris Jackson
Topics: Royal Family, Prince Andrew, UK News, Virginia Giuffre
Olivia Burke
Topics: Royal Family, Prince Andrew, UK News, Virginia Giuffre
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the force is 'looking into' a fresh slew of bombshell claims against Prince Andrew.
It has been alleged that the 65-year-old, who relinquished his royal titles earlier this week, attempted to source information on his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, to orchestrate a smear campaign against her.
Giuffre died by suicide at her home in Australia in April this year at the age of 41.
Prince Andrew has continuously denied the allegations against him, and he and Giuffre reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022.
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The former Duke of York admitted no liability and continued to deny the claims that he'd met her, had sex with her, or that Jeffrey Epstein had trafficked her.
Now, it has been claimed that Prince Andrew tried to get the Met Police to dig up information on Giuffre.
The Mail on Sunday reported that he'd allegedly passed confidential information - including Giuffre’s date of birth and social security number - to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard in 2011 for him to look into her.
This is said to have occurred just before images of her first meeting with Prince Andrew were published in February that year. The publication also claimed that Prince Andrew then turned to Buckingham Palace aide Ed Perkins, who was the deputy press secretary to his late mother Queen Elizabeth at the time.
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The father-of-two is said to have informed Perkins that he had asked one of his personal protection officers, who was part of the Met's SO14 Royalty Protection Group, to pry into Giuffre's past.
One email penned by Prince Andrew to the royal aide in relation to Giuffre is reported to have said: "It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on-duty ppo [personal protection officer]."
Giuffre's loved ones said the email 'exposes the lengths to which those implicated try to discredit and defame survivors', while stating that the late 41-year-old did not have a criminal record.
"We also request a full investigation as to how Andrew obtained Virginia's private information," her family added.
The Mail said there is no suggestion that the personal protection officer fulfilled Prince Andrew's request, with the prince having not yet commented on the allegations.
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A spokesperson for the Met told LADbible: "We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made."
On Friday (17 October), it was announced that Prince Andrew would be giving up all his titles, including the Duke of York, due to the numerous allegations made against him.
In an official statement, he said: "In discussion with The 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 country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.
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"With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.
"As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."
Despite this, he will remain a Prince - but his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer use her title of The Duchess of York, Sky News reported.
LADbible Group has contacted Prince Andrew's representatives for comment.