Metropolitan Police Face Renewed Pressure to Reopen Andrew Investigation
The Metropolitan Police are facing urgent calls to reopen their probe into Prince Andrew, the former Duke of York, following the release of a vast tranche of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case. These newly disclosed files, which include millions of pages, appear to link Andrew to at least three additional victims within Epstein's extensive network of abuse.
Shocking Images and Disturbing Allegations Emerge
Among the most startling revelations from the weekend's document dump are shocking photographs depicting Andrew on his knees and crouching over a woman lying on the floor. In two particularly disturbing images, the former prince appears to be touching the woman's stomach. These pictures are believed to have been taken inside Epstein's £60 million New York mansion, sparking widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated his demand for Andrew to provide testimony to the US Congress, stating that "anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to." This comes as US Congressman Suhas Subramanyam described the photographs as "heinous" and echoed calls for Andrew to assist in the pursuit of justice for Epstein's victims.
Legal Experts and Victim Advocates Demand Action
Prominent US attorney Gloria Allred, who has represented twenty-seven of Epstein's victims, has been particularly vocal in her demands. "The Metropolitan Police should reopen their investigation of Andrew," she asserted. "In addition, Andrew should volunteer to speak to Congress, even though he has denied that he has committed any crime. He should do this to help the survivors learn what he observed and what was going on at the crime scene."
Allred emphasised that "the crime scene was every residence of Jeffrey Epstein, and Andrew stayed with Epstein at a number of his homes," suggesting the prince may possess crucial information about the financier's activities.
New Documents Reveal Multiple Connections to Victims
The three million new documents, which include two thousand videos and one hundred and eighty thousand images, have unveiled several previously unknown connections between Andrew and Epstein's victims:
- One document released by the US Justice Department reveals how an unnamed woman told New York prosecutors in 2020 that Ghislaine Maxwell "tried to get her to have sex with Prince Andrew."
- A series of emails, first revealed by The Mail on Sunday, show Epstein arranging for Andrew to dine with a twenty-six-year-old Russian woman in 2010. Epstein described her as "clever" and "beautiful," adding "she is expecting your call." The woman's legal representative confirmed she was "not only abused by Epstein but trafficked by him for many years" and had suffered "a great deal of harm."
- A third file indicates another victim claimed to have had an "interaction" with both Epstein and Andrew at the paedophile's New York mansion, believed to have occurred during Andrew's infamous December 2010 visit to Manhattan.
Background of Allegations and Royal Fallout
For over a decade, Andrew has faced serious allegations that he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was seventeen years old after she was trafficked by Epstein. The prince has repeatedly and strenuously denied these claims, but the controversy ultimately led to him being stripped of his royal titles and military affiliations in November 2022.
The Metropolitan Police previously investigated aspects of the case but announced in December that they were "taking no further action," a decision that dismayed Giuffre's family. However, royal author Andrew Lownie argues that "the release of these documents provides a stronger case for the Met to re-look at the accusations against Andrew. There are good reasons now for the Met to reopen the case."
Further Revelations About the Epstein Relationship
The documents provide unprecedented insight into the depth of Andrew's relationship with both Epstein and Maxwell:
- Andrew shared a "confidential" document with Epstein about investment opportunities in Helmand, Afghanistan, at the height of the war against the Taliban, seeking the financier's "comments, views or ideas."
- The former prince complained to Maxwell that the 2003 Iraq War was preventing him from going on holiday.
- Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, offered Epstein and his friends VIP tours of Buckingham Palace.
- Emails show Andrew arranged an intimate dinner at Buckingham Palace in September 2010 for Epstein and three women named only as Sarah, Sue, and Vera, promising the convicted sex offender "lots of privacy."
- Further correspondence from November 2010 has Andrew telling Epstein he was "really looking forward" to seeing him the following month, adding "some interesting things to discuss and plot..."
International Diplomatic Concerns Surface
The files also reveal that UK authorities were concerned in 2021 that Andrew could become a criminal suspect in the FBI investigation into Epstein. An August 2021 email from the US embassy in London raised concerns about how Andrew's refusal to speak to American investigators could potentially strain the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.
As the documents continue to be analysed, pressure is mounting on multiple fronts for Andrew to provide a full account of his interactions with Epstein and his associates. With fresh allegations emerging and legal experts calling for renewed scrutiny, the Metropolitan Police face difficult decisions about whether their investigation should be revisited in light of these significant new disclosures.
