Why Are Police Investigating Prince Andrew’s Alleged Request About Virginia Giuffre?

In recent days, the Prince Andrew scandal has taken a dramatic turn. Authorities say they are actively investigating whether Prince Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded protection officer to dig up personal information on his accuser, Virginia Giuffre. According to leaked emails, the prince allegedly passed along her date of birth and U.S. social security number just hours before a notorious photograph of them emerged in 2011.

This development comes amid the broader saga of Andrew’s links to convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein and Giuffre’s longstanding accusation that the prince sexually assaulted her when she was 17 an allegation he has always denied.

Why the investigation into Prince Andrew’s alleged request about Virginia Giuffre

The key claim is that in 2011 Prince Andrew instructed a close protection officer, paid via public funds, to investigate Giuffre for instance whether she had a criminal record in the United States. Leaked emails reportedly show the prince telling a royal aide that he “gave her DoB and social security number for investigation” .

What grabbed attention and sparked media-coverage is the timing and nature of the request. The alleged email came just before the circulation of a photograph of Andrew with Giuffre (at the time underage, by her account) which had already caused uproar.

There is no verified evidence so far that the officer acted on the request. The Metropolitan Police confirmed it is aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made.

This is significant for several reasons: it raises questions about misuse of official protection resources; it touches on how the royal household and its allies managed or perhaps attempted to manage public and private narratives; and it adds fuel to longstanding calls for accountability in the wider Epstein-Giuffre-Andrew story.

Politically and publicly the move has also drawn strong reaction. Government ministers described the allegations as “deeply concerning” and said the notion that a protection officer could be used for what looks like a personal or reputational campaign is unacceptable.

In short: the suggestion that Prince Andrew sought to deploy state-funded resources to dig up information on his accuser has made this story viral pushing back into view the photograph, the settlement he reached with Giuffre in 2022, and his relinquishing of royal titles this month in light of the mounting pressure.

investigation marks a new chapter in a long-running scandal. If verified, the allegation that a prince used state resources to target his accuser crosses a line that draws in issues of power, privilege and justice.

For Prince Andrew it compounds the reputational damage made by his connection to Jefferson Epstein, the civil settlement with Giuffre, and his departure from public royal duties. For the public and survivors, the case raises serious questions about how institutions handle allegations of abuse and whether any figure truly stands above scrutiny.

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