The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating fresh allegations concerning Prince Andrew following the release of a controversial email that suggests the former duke tried to tarnish the reputation of Virginia Giuffre, his accuser.
Prince Andrew has strongly refuted claims of engaging in sexual activities with Virginia, who passed away earlier this year, at the age of 17. Despite his consistent denial of any misconduct, his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to overshadow his position within the Royal Family.
Having withdrawn from public duties five years ago, the 65-year-old prince has now voluntarily renounced his titles and honors, with the approval of his older brother, King Charles III. In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace, Andrew announced his decision to forego his titles and honors to prioritize his family and country.
Recent revelations of alleged misconduct by Prince Andrew have surfaced, complicating efforts by the Royal Family to address the ongoing challenges related to his reputation.
According to reports from the Mail on Sunday, it is alleged that Prince Andrew instructed his Met bodyguard to investigate Virginia, providing her personal information in an attempt to gather negative information. However, there is no indication that the officer complied with this request.
The Mail on Sunday disclosed that in February 2011, just before the publication of a controversial photo showing Andrew with Virginia, he emailed Ed Perkins, the then press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, mentioning Virginia’s potential criminal record and providing her personal details for investigation.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police confirmed they are actively examining these allegations. Virginia’s family, who confirmed she had no criminal record, condemned these actions as an attempt to discredit survivors and have called for an investigation into how Prince Andrew obtained her private information.
Victoria Derbyshire interrupted Sunday’s broadcast with Laura Kuenssberg to report the Metropolitan Police’s decision to investigate claims that Prince Andrew instructed his bodyguard to gather information on Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual misconduct when she was 17.
In response to this development, Emily Maitlis, the BBC Newsnight presenter whose interview with Prince Andrew in 2019 significantly impacted his reputation, expressed her approval of the investigation.
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