TRIGGER WARNING: This article discusses topics pertaining to sexual abuse, self-harm, and suicide. If this is triggering, contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, or by going to their website.
The Metropolitan Police is “looking into the claims made” about Prince Andrew allegedly asking a bodyguard to “dig up dirt” on Virginia Giuffre.
According to the Daily Mail, the former Duke, who handed back his titles on October 17, asked his Met bodyguard to investigate her, and passed him her date of birth and confidential social security number.
The article claimed that he also told Queen Elizabeth’s deputy secretary, Ed Perkins, that he had asked one of his personal protection officers to obtain information about Ms Giuffre.
The report shared email exchanges made between the pair, where Andrew allegedly contacted him hours before the photo of him with Ms Giuffre was first published.
“It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States,” he allegedly wrote. “I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].”
Mr Perkins allegedly responded with: “Indeed Sir. All received. Awaiting their response now. Lawyers primed.”
The report also said that the night before the article was published, he refused to reveal how he obtained her social security number.
After the report went live, the Metropolitan Police told Hello! that it is investigating the claims further.
Giuffre’s family has since denied that she had a criminal record. She died by suicide in April 2025. She was a prominent accuser of the Prince and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
An email obtained by The Sun also revealed that Andrew was in contact with Epstein in 2011, after he claimed that he cut off contact with him in 2010.
“I’m just as concerned for you!” he allegedly wrote to him. “Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it.”
The Prince has emphatically denied Giuffre’s claims and addressed it when he stepped back from his titles. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, has also lost her title.
“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,” he said in a statement.
“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.”
He is also stepping away from his Order of the Garter membership.
The Daily Mail also reported that the accuser’s family also renewed their request for Andrew to be stripped of his title as Prince. They also requested a “full investigation as to how Andrew obtained Virginia’s private information”.
The outlet also included two alleged emails Epstein purportedly sent to the Prince in 2011 to discredit her.
This has all come to light before her posthumous memoir is released on October 21.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, or by going to their website.
