The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they will not launch a criminal investigation into Prince Andrew over allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking involving Jeffrey Epstein. The decision has been met with 'deep disappointment' from the family of Virginia Giuffre, who accused the Duke of York of having sex with her when she was 17.
Giuffre alleged in a 2021 US lawsuit that she was trafficked by Epstein to a London home in 2001 and 'lent out for sexual purposes' to Prince Andrew. He has consistently denied the claims and settled the civil case in 2022 without admitting liability. The Met said on Saturday that no formal criminal inquiry would proceed in the UK, including over claims that Andrew asked his police protection officer to dig up dirt on Giuffre.
In a statement, Giuffre's family expressed surprise at the timing, noting that the Met did not wait for the release of Epstein files under the US Epstein Transparency Act. 'We are surprised that the Metropolitan police didn’t wait to see what further evidence might appear,' they said. 'We continue to challenge the system that protects abusers.'
Met Commander Ella Marriott said the force had reviewed previous decisions not to investigate, which dated back to 2015 and 2016. She stated that the allegations 'primarily concerned events outside the United Kingdom' and that international authorities were better placed to handle them. The Met had consulted the Crown Prosecution Service and maintained liaison with US authorities.
Andrew, 65, was stripped of his royal titles amid the scandal. The Giuffre family said they felt 'justice has not been served' and called for accountability for survivors.
