In October, a leaked email revealed that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly asked his taxpayer-funded police bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre and passed him her date of birth and social security number. Photo / Getty Images
Virginia Giuffre’s family have hit out over the decision by Scotland Yard to drop its inquiries into claims that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor tried to smear her by passing confidential information to police.
They say the Metropolitan Police in London decided not to pursue the case without speaking to them first, the Telegraph can disclose.
In October, a leaked email revealed that Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly asked his taxpayer-funded police bodyguard to investigate Giuffre and passed him her date of birth and social security number.
He then allegedly told Buckingham Palace aide Ed Perkins, who at the time was Queen Elizabeth II’s deputy press secretary, that he had asked one of his personal protection officers to dig up information about Giuffre.
However, following weeks of assessment , the Met has now wound up its investigation, saying it had found no additional evidence of criminal acts.
The Met’s announcement is the latest in a string of decisions not to proceed to a full criminal investigation into allegations surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor, when he was still known as Prince Andrew, over his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement released by Scotland Yard on Saturday local time, Ella Marriott, Central Specialist Crime Commander, said: “Following recent reporting suggesting that Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor asked his Met Police close protection officer to carry out checks on Ms Giuffre in 2011, the MPS has carried out a further assessment. This assessment has not revealed any additional evidence of criminal acts or misconduct.”
Giuffre’s family, who have called for further investigation into the former prince, told the Telegraph they were not consulted over Scotland Yard’s decision to drop the inquiry and that “justice has not been served”.
They said their only interaction with detectives was a single email received last week.
In a statement, the Giuffre family said, “We are deeply disappointed that the Metropolitan Police have dropped their investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor without explanation and without speaking with us, Virginia’s family.
“We emailed with a detective from the Metropolitan Police yesterday, Friday, December 12, who gave us no indication that this announcement was imminent.
“Indeed, he asked us if we had any evidence we would like to present; we had not yet replied. With the Epstein files about to be released by [United States] Congress since the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act, we are surprised that the Metropolitan Police didn’t wait to see what further evidence might appear.”
Giuffre’s family added: “While we have hailed the United Kingdom’s overall handling of the case of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor previously, today we feel justice has not been served. We continue to challenge the system that protects abusers, especially as more evidence comes to light that can hold people accountable. Our sister Virginia – and all survivors – are owed this much.”
Spencer Kuvin, a lawyer who represents nine of Epstein’s victims, said that “sadly, it appears that yet again the police have failed the victims of Epstein and others. The systemic failures by both the US and UK governments are a sad commentary on how our political system appears to favour the wealthy and powerful in this world.”
Mountbatten-Windsor was forced to give up his remaining royal titles in October after it emerged that he had stayed in touch with the paedophile longer than he had previously admitted. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, also gave up her title.
Giuffre, who took her own life in April this year, had alleged that the then-Prince had raped and abused her three times when she was 17.
He has always denied the allegations of sexual abuse.
Mountbatten-Windsor is said to have emailed Perkins hours before an infamous photograph was published in February 2011 that showed him with his arm around Giuffre’s waist.
According to reports, he wrote: “It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on-duty ppo [personal protection officer].”
Giuffre’s family said at the time the email was revealed that it “exposes the lengths to which those implicated try to discredit and defame survivors”.
In its statement, the Met Police said that in 2015 it had received allegations relating to non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation involving Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The allegations primarily concerned events outside Britain, with one allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001.
Marriott said: “Officers assessed all available evidence at the time, interviewed the complainant, Ms Virginia Giuffre, as well as contacting several other potential victims. This did not result in any allegation of criminal conduct against any UK-based nationals.”
The Met said it had sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and liaised with US authorities, but that since any investigation into human trafficking would be largely focused on activities outside the UK and perpetrators based overseas, other international authorities were “best placed” to investigate the claims.
As a result, a decision was made in November 2016 not to proceed to a full criminal investigation. That decision was reviewed in August 2019 and again in 2021 and 2022.
Marriott said: “The Met remains committed to thoroughly assessing any new information that could assist in this matter. To date, we have not received any additional evidence that would support reopening the investigation.
“In the absence of any further information, we will be taking no further action. As with any other matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention, including any information resulting from the release of material in the US, we will assess it.
“Our thoughts will always be with Ms Giuffre’s family and friends following her death.”
Scotland Yard sources said no information had been provided to date regarding any offences committed in the UK from the files held by US law enforcement agencies.
In February 2022, Mountbatten-Windsor settled the sexual assault case filed against him by Giuffre for an undisclosed sum, said to be worth £9 million ($20.7m), without any admission of wrongdoing. The settlement spared him from having to give evidence at trial.
Giuffre’s posthumous book, Nobody’s Girl, published in October, focused further attention on the sexual assault allegations, describing how Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly insisted his accuser sign a one-year gagging order after their settlement to avoid spoiling Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
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