Prince Andrew Faces Police Investigation Over Alleged Smearing of Sexual Abuse Accuser

Strategic Insights -

Prince Andrew could become the first member of the Royal Family to be investigated by police in over 20 years after he was accused of using his protection officer to smear his teenage sex abuse accuser, Virginia Giufre. The Metropolitan Police are "actively looking into" allegations that Prince Andrew asked his bodyguard to investigate Giufre after obtaining her date of birth and social security number. This comes after the leak of an email in which Prince Andrew instructed his former deputy press secretary, Ed Perkins, to "dig up information" about Giufre.

Key Takeaways:

  • Prince Andrew could face a criminal investigation in the US for sharing Giufre's social security number without her consent, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
  • The US Social Security Act protects the confidentiality of individuals' social security numbers, and sharing them without consent is a serious offense.
  • The Metropolitan Police have previously investigated allegations related to Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein's activities in London three times, but chose not to proceed.
  • Virginia Giufre's former lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, called for a "thorough investigation" into the police's actions, stating that they had "weaponized the criminal justice system" to discredit survivors.
  • Buckingham Palace and the Metropolitan Police may face scrutiny over their handling of the situation and potential knowledge of Prince Andrew's actions.
  • Prince Andrew has faced mounting criticism in recent weeks, including calls for him to be stripped of his dukedom and for the UK government to pass a law to allow it.

Statistics:

  • 23 years have passed since the Princess Royal was convicted of a criminal offense in 2002, making Prince Andrew's potential investigation the first in over two decades.
  • The email leak suggests that Prince Andrew and his team discussed how to respond to Giufre's allegations in 2010, including drafting a statement to deny the claims.
  • 9-15 years in prison is the potential sentence for sharing someone's social security number without their consent in the US.
  • The Metropolitan Police have a history of investigating allegations related to the Royal Family, with a notable example being the Princess Royal's conviction in 2002.

Sources:

  • The Telegraph: "Prince Andrew 'asked Met Police to investigate Virginia Giufre'"
  • Mail on Sunday: "Email reveals Prince Andrew's 'consultant' Ghislaine Maxwell told him Jeffrey Epstein's victim was a 'lying scumbag'"
  • The Guardian: "Prince Andrew faces police investigation over alleged 'smear' of Virginia Giufre"