The Met Clears Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Leaving Giuffre Family Deeply Disappointed
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will not face legal repercussions in the United Kingdom regarding claims he attempted to find information about Virginia Giuffre, a deceased victim of Jeffrey Epstein.
On Saturday, December 13, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police informed BBC News that they would not proceed with additional steps concerning allegations that the former royal, aged 65, requested his publicly funded security staff look into Giuffre. The Mail on Sunday reported that Mountbatten-Windsor provided a security official with Giuffre’s birthdate and social security number to facilitate the inquiry.
Despite this, a Met spokesperson declared on Saturday that their review failed to uncover “any additional evidence of criminal acts or misconduct.”
A police spokesperson stated, “The Met is still dedicated to fully evaluating any new information that might assist with this case.” They continued, “As of now, we have not received additional evidence that would justify reopening the investigation. Without further information, we will not proceed with additional actions.”
A Timeline of Prince Andrew's Involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein Scandal
The statement went on to say, “As with other cases, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention, including data released from materials in the U.S., we will evaluate it.”
Us Weekly contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. While Mountbatten-Windsor has not publicly responded to these recent accusations, he consistently maintained he committed no wrongdoing concerning Epstein.
Following the Met’s ruling, Giuffre’s family issued a statement expressing their “deep disappointment” that U.K. authorities halted the investigation “without explanation and without contacting us.”
“Given that Congress is on the verge of releasing the Epstein files following the approval of the Epstein Transparency Act, we are surprised the Metropolitan Police chose not to wait for additional evidence,” Giuffre’s family commented. “Though we previously praised the U.K.’s general approach to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's case, we now believe justice has been denied.”
Giuffre — who passed away in April at age 41 by suicide — initially claimed in 2014 that the convicted sex offender Epstein and his partner at the time, Ghislaine Maxwell, facilitated her trafficking to Mountbatten-Windsor. The former prince asserted during a 2019 interview on BBC’s Newsnight that he “never had any sort of sexual contact” with Giuffre and questioned whether he had “ever met her at all.”
Mountbatten-Windsor reached a settlement in a civil sexual abuse lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022, though he did not admit guilt.
This week, House Democrats on the Oversight Committee made public 19 historical photographs retrieved from Epstein's property, including an image showing Mountbatten-Windsor alongside former Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. The committee's investigation has recovered over 95,000 photos to date.
The images were made public after the House strongly approved the Epstein Transparency Act on November 18, compelling the Justice Department to disclose specifics of its investigation into the disgraced financier's offenses. Epstein passed away by suicide at age 66 in August 2019, while Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year term after being found guilty of sex trafficking charges.
Even though Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s crimes, he declared in October that he would relinquish his royal title.
On October 17, Andrew told Us in a statement, “Following discussions with The King and my immediate and extended family, we have determined that the persistent accusations against me detract from the duties of His Majesty and the Royal Family.” He added, “I have chosen, as I always do, to prioritize my obligation to my family and country. I adhere to my decision from five years ago to step away from public life.”
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Buckingham Palace confirmed to Us on October 30 that King Charles III had begun the procedure to remove all royal titles from his brother. Mountbatten-Windsor must also vacate Royal Lodge, which he obtained in 2003 through a 75-year peppercorn lease agreement.
A Buckingham Palace statement declared, “Prince Andrew will henceforth be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has historically afforded him legal rights to remain there.” It continued, “Official notification has now been issued to terminate the lease, and he will relocate to alternative private housing. These disciplinary measures are considered essential, despite his continued denial of the accusations.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by human trafficking, you can reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
