UK Police End Probe into Prince Andrew Bodyguard Claims

London's Metropolitan Police announced on Saturday that it will not pursue a criminal investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew, also known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, directed his taxpayer-funded bodyguard to investigate his accuser Virginia Giuffre in 2011. The decision followed a review of reports emerging last month, which prompted the force to assess potential evidence of misconduct.

The claims, first detailed in October, allege that the prince provided his close protection officer with Giuffre's date of birth and Social Security number shortly before a photograph surfaced showing him with his arm around her waist at a London event in February 2011. The image, linked to Giuffre's association with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, became central to her accusations against Andrew of sexual abuse when she was 17. Andrew has consistently denied any sexual contact with Giuffre, who died earlier this year. In a 2019 BBC interview, he maintained that he was at a Pizza Express restaurant in Woking on the evening in question and questioned the photograph's authenticity, citing a medical condition that prevented him from sweating.