Prince Andrew faces new allegations over Virginia Giuffre days after losing royal titles

Just days after Prince Andrew relinquished all of his remaining royal titles, new and shocking allegations have surfaced about his connection to Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Jeffrey Epstein.

The former Duke of York allegedly instructed his assigned Metropolitan Police bodyguard to investigate Giuffre, supplying the officer with her social security number and date of birth, according to the Daily Mail.

Remarkably, Andrew is said to have emailed Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth’s deputy press secretary, revealing that he had asked his bodyguard to uncover information about Giuffre and claimed she had a criminal record in the US.

That email was reportedly sent just hours before the now-infamous photograph of Andrew with a then-17-year-old Giuffre surfaced in February 2011, a moment that would set in motion his long and very public downfall.

It is not known whether or not the bodyguard carried out the investigation; however, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they are actively looking into the claims made.

This dramatic development adds fuel to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein scandal.

Andrew ultimately decided on Friday to give up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honours following discussions with King Charles and Prince William.

“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,” Andrew wrote 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.”

Andrew will retain the title of prince, which he has held since birth, and the change will not affect his daughters, who will remain Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Sarah Ferguson, who split from Andrew more than 30 years ago but remained one of his greatest supporters and still shares his Royal Lodge home, will, however, revert to her maiden name of Ferguson, losing her courtesy royal divorcee title, Sarah, Duchess of York.

The statement was released just four days before the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice.

Giuffre has alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions and details her encounters with the prince in the book, including one instance when she was 17 years old and being trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

According to extracts published by The Guardian, she describes Andrew as “entitled”, saying he “believed having sex with me was his birthright”.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations and previously settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre out of court in 2022, reportedly for millions of dollars, without admitting any wrongdoing.