Prince Andrew allegedly sought Police help to discredit sexual abuse accuser

Britain’s Prince Andrew asked police in 2011 to investigate the personal information of Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused him of sexually abusing her as a teenager, a British newspaper reported on Sunday, October 19.

This revelation comes days after the royal announced he would no longer use his Duke of York title.

London’s Metropolitan Police stated it was “actively looking” into the allegations published by the Mail on Sunday. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Andrew, 65, the younger brother of King Charles, said on Friday he would cease using his title following years of criticism over his conduct and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He claimed the accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, were a distraction from the work of the King and the Royal Family. However, the Sunday report suggests the scandal remains active.

The report cited an email Andrew allegedly sent to Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary at the time, in which he asked one of his personal protection officers to seek information on Giuffre.

Andrew reportedly provided police with her date of birth and social security number, stating he believed she had a criminal record in the United States. Giuffre’s family told the newspaper she did not have a criminal record. The Mail on Sunday noted there is no suggestion that the officer complied with the request.

Andrew had stepped down from a UK trade ambassador role in 2011, quit all royal duties in 2019, and was stripped of his military links and royal patronages in 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

That same year, he settled a lawsuit brought by Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was a teenager. Giuffre died by suicide in April, and her account has recently returned to prominence with the release of her memoir.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed, “We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made.” British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told the BBC that the new allegations were “deeply concerning.”