The Metropolitan Police Service has formally concluded its assessment into allegations against the Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, announcing it will pursue no criminal investigation regarding claims he utilized royal protection officers to discredit his accuser. This decision marks another significant development in the long-running saga involving the British royal family and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Commander Ella Marriott, a senior Metropolitan Police official, stated that a comprehensive review of available evidence failed to establish grounds for misconduct or criminal proceedings. The assessment specifically addressed allegations that emerged in the posthumously published memoir of Virginia Giuffre, which detailed claims that Andrew directed his taxpayer-funded security detail to investigate her for a potential smear campaign in 2011.
Despite this closure, the legal challenges for the former prince may not be entirely over. Commander Marriott noted that the force remains open to reviewing any new evidence that might emerge from ongoing court document unsealing proceedings in the United States. This statement leaves a conditional avenue for future investigation should substantial information come to light.
The police decision follows King Charles III’s historic October move to strip his brother of royal titles and military affiliations, effectively removing him from official royal duties. The monarch additionally revoked Andrew’s residence privileges at the royal estate in Windsor, signaling the firmest institutional response to the controversy to date.
Giuffre’s memoir, published following her tragic death in April at age 41, contained detailed accounts of alleged sexual encounters with Andrew, including instances she claimed occurred while she was a minor. These allegations initially sparked widespread public condemnation and intensified scrutiny of Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Metropolitan Police’s announcement represents the latest chapter in a story that continues to unfold through American legal channels, where additional court documents related to the Epstein case remain pending release.