The Metropolitan Police has launched an examination into the conduct of Prince Andrew's former personal protection officers, compelling them to hand over emails, phone records, and notebooks for scrutiny.
The 'Dig Up Dirt' Allegation
This probe centres on explosive claims that the disgraced former Duke of York asked a taxpayer-funded police bodyguard from the elite SO14 Royalty Protection Group to 'dig up dirt' on his teenage sex accuser, Virginia Giuffre. A bombshell email, previously obtained by The Mail on Sunday, exposed how Andrew requested a Met officer to probe Ms Giuffre, providing her confidential date of birth and social security number.
In the email, sent just hours before the now-infamous picture of Andrew with the 17-year-old Ms Giuffre was published in 2011, the prince told Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, Ed Perkins, about his request. He wrote, 'It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].'
A Potential Criminal Offence
It is not suggested that the officer acted on the prince's request, and Ms Giuffre's family have since stated she had no criminal record. However, had the request been carried out, it would have constituted a breach of data protection laws and could potentially amount to misconduct in a public office. In turn, Prince Andrew could face accusations of assisting such misconduct.
According to The Sun, at least two of Andrew's former bodyguards have already been interviewed by the force. The investigation is considering 'whether any further assessment or review' is necessary. A source revealed that officers are 'actively seeking to find emails and communications from Andrew's royalty protection team, as well as their notebooks.'
While internal Met emails are typically deleted after six years, the notebooks and electronic devices used by royalty protection officers are retained for three decades, an insider confirmed.
Mounting Pressure for a Formal Investigation
Dai Davies, the former head of the Metropolitan Royal Protection Command, stated there is now a clear prima facie case for the ex-prince to be 'interviewed under caution'. He expressed bewilderment at the Met's delay, remarking that if a member of the public had made a similar request, the police 'would have been knocking at our door'.
He also believes the bodyguards' records could be crucial in verifying Andrew's whereabouts on the specific dates Ms Giuffre alleges she was sexually assaulted by him. Andrew has repeatedly and vehemently denied all allegations.
In a parallel development, Met detectives are also scouring the posthumous memoirs of Ms Giuffre, who took her own life in April 2025 aged 41. Her book, 'Nobody's Girl', published in October, details her allegations of being trafficked at age 17 and accuses Andrew of being 'entitled, as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright'.
This marks the first time the former royal could be interviewed by police since his connections to the convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein were exposed. The Daily Mail has approached Buckingham Palace for comment.
