The family of Virginia Giuffre has expressed 'deep disappointment' that the Metropolitan Police will not launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew over allegations of sexual abuse. The Met announced on Saturday that no formal investigation would take place, citing previous assessments that concluded there was insufficient evidence against UK-based nationals.
Ms Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with the Duke of York in London in 2001, welcomed the review of her case but said the decision not to proceed was 'without explanation'. Her family said they were surprised the force did not wait for the release of further Epstein files by the US Congress.
The Met's decision also covers claims that Prince Andrew asked his police protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre after she went public with her allegations in 2011. Commander Ella Marriott said the force stood by its 2016 decision not to pursue a full criminal investigation, following consultations with the Crown Prosecution Service and US authorities.
Prince Andrew, 65, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and settled a US civil lawsuit with Ms Giuffre in 2022. The Metropolitan Police emphasised that no UK-based nationals were implicated in the trafficking allegations, which primarily involved events outside the country.
