Prince Andrew reportedly requested his Met bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre, who alleges that the Prince sexually assaulted her on three occasions while she was a teenager. According to emails obtained by the Mail on Sunday, Andrew allegedly asked his Met bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre and forward him private information, including her date of birth and highly confidential social security number. However, there is no suggestion that the officer complied with this request.
The Mail also reported that after emailing his bodyguard, Andrew also reached out to Ed Perkins, who was Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, and informed him that he had asked one of his personal protection officers to obtain information about Ms Giuffre. The email was sent hours before the picture of him and Virginia was published in 2011.
"It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States," he wrote, as per the Mail on Sunday. "I have given her DoB and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer]." The dealings of the deceased convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, have continued to come to light after emails from the financier were obtained by Bloomberg News and included in documents released by a US congressional committee in September 2025.
The Metropolitan Police has since confirmed to HELLO! that they are actively looking into these claims. In a statement shared with the publication, they confirmed: "We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made."
The new emails come just days after Prince Andrew agreed to give up all of his titles, including the Duke of York. The news was confirmed in a statement shared by Buckingham Palace that, although he will remain a prince, as the son of Queen Elizabeth II, he will give up his membership of the Order of the Garter – the most senior order of chivalry in the British honours system. His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, also gave up her title and has reverted to her maiden name, Sarah Ferguson.
"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. 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," a statement from Prince Andrew read.
© Getty ImagesPrince Andrew's decision to relinquish his titles followed a report on Sunday, 12 October by The Sun and The Mail, which saw the 65-year-old send an email to Mr Epstein just one day before pictures of him and Virginia were published. "I'm just as concerned for you! Don't worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!!," the email read. According to The Sun, the email was sent from Andrew's official email address, which had the automated signature "HRH The Duke of York KG".
© Getty ImagesEmily Maitlis, who famously interviewed the Prince over his connection to Jeffrey Epstein for BBC's Newsnight in 2019, told The Observer the news prompted her to rewatch the interview for the first time in six years. "The email that emerged last week categorically showed that what he said [about his last contact being December 2010] was untrue," she said. "I have become more alive to all the inconsistencies. It makes you rewatch, revisit everything again. I think we know now that [Prince Andrew] lied to me about his contact with Epstein."
