Prince Andrew ‘asked Met Police bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre’
Disgraced Prince Andrew has accused the Metropolitan Police and Queen Elizabeth II in a campaign to smear Virginia Giuffre, according to reports. He enlisted the help of one of Elizabeth’s most senior aides.
Leaked emails seen mail on sunday It emerged that Andrew had handed over Ms Giuffre’s social security number and date of birth to a Met Police guard.
Andrew reportedly told Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary, that he had asked one of his close protection officers to get information about Ms. Giuffre.
“He also seems to have a criminal record [United] Andrew wrote to Mr Perkins: “I gave him a DoB. [date of birth] Social security number and social security number for review with on-duty police officer XXX [personal protection officer].”
It is unclear whether the guard followed Andrew’s instructions.
Met Police told Independent was investigating the allegations. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
The extraordinary revelations came a day after Prince Andrew renounced the use of his titles and honors, including the title of Duke of York, following the sexual abuse trial involving convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein that spanned more than a decade.
His renunciation came just days before the release of Ms. Giuffre’s memoir, which details greater attention surrounding abuse allegations against the disgraced prince and his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement released on Friday night, Prince Andrew said: “In discussions with the King and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded that the ongoing allegations against me are a distraction from the work of Her Majesty and the royal family.”
The decision comes amid mounting pressure from King Charles, who is said to be “delighted” to see him go.
Ms Giuffre accused Andrew of having sex with her three times when she was 17. She claimed Andrew sexually abused her when she was a teenager on Epstein’s private island, Little St James. The prince has always denied the allegations.
In March 2022, Andrew paid Ms. Giuffre millions of dollars to settle a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault when she was a teenager.
As part of the agreement, he would pay compensation to Ms. Giuffre and make a donation to a charity that “supports the rights of victims,” although he said he had never met Giuffre.
Ms. Giuffre’s family said she had no criminal record and demanded a full investigation into how Andrew obtained confidential information disclosed to Mr. Perkins.
Andrew allegedly refused to reveal how he obtained Ms. Giuffre’s social security number. mail on sunday in question.
His family are also renewing their calls for the King to “remove the ‘prince’ in Andrew” and strip him of his principality.
Despite renouncing his titles, Andrew remains a prince. When he was born in 1960, he automatically became a prince as the son of a monarch, and this could only be changed when a Letters Patent was issued by the King.
Ms Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, told ITV News: “I want to commend the King and the UK for taking action.
“While this is not enough from the survivors’ perspective, it is still more than what our own government has given us here, even though we have the Epstein files.
“Now, I think there is more he can do for the King. He has the ability to move him further away from the title of prince, as we would call him.
“I think we’ve already taken all the necessary steps. Why don’t we take it a step further and give him up the title of prince as well?”
