Met Police say they will investigate bombshell Prince Andrew claim

The Metropolitan Police have said they will look into reports that Prince Andrew tried to get the Metropolitan Police to dig up dirt on his sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre. A bombshell email obtained by the Mail on Sunday shows that Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded Met bodyguard to investigate Ms Giuffre and passed him her date of birth and confidential social security number.

It comes after the King's brother announced on Friday night that he would relinquish his remaining royal titles, including Duke of York, and public duties amid renewed scrutiny of his ties to Epstein and an alleged Chinese spy.

Victoria Derbyshire interrupted Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg to deliver the update from the force. She said: "I want to give you this breaking news if I may, it's from the Metropolitan Police. They say they are going to look into claims that Prince Andrew ordered his bodyguard to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse. She says she was forced to have sex with him when she was 17."

Responding to the news, Broadcaster Emily Maitlis, who conducted the infamous BBC Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew in 2019, said: "I'm glad that they are."

She told Victoria Derbyshire on the BBC Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show: "I think if there have been people responsible for trying to make her life even more unbearable than it was, then I would like to see justice done."

Earlier on Sunday, the Energy Secretary stated that Andrew had sought to obtain information about Ms Giuffre from his PPO.

He told Ms Derbyshire, who is covering Ms Kuenssberg's show: "These are deeply concerning allegations. I think people want to look at those allegations and what the substance is behind them. But if that is correct, that is absolutely not the way that close protection officers should be used."

Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17, after being trafficked by convicted paedophile Epstein. She said in her posthumous memoir that is due to be published this week, that Andrew acted as if sex with her was his "birthright". Andrew has always denied the allegations against him.

Although Andrew is relinquishing his dukedom, he technically retains it as it can only be removed by an Act of Parliament. He also remains a prince, as this is his birthright as a son of a monarch.

The titles and honours he will no longer use include his wedding day titles - Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The prince stepped down from public life in 2019 following the interview. He was later stripped of his military patronages by the late Queen and stopped using his HRH title.