Former Prince Andrew was on the radar of U.S. Law enforcement nearly 15 years before his recent arrest by British police, according to investigative documents disclosed by the Justice Department. The scrutiny began with a 2011 FBI inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein, predating the widespread public outcry over the royal’s association with the convicted sex offender.
The documents reveal that in March 2011, FBI agents traveled to Australia following a communication from an Epstein victim to federal prosecutors in South Florida. The victim, whose name is redacted in the disclosed files, provided information “pertinent” to Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Details within the FBI interview closely align with public and legal claims made by Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein accuser who died last year.
Giuffre alleged that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to numerous men, including Prince Andrew. The redacted FBI document details the victim’s account of traveling with Epstein and Maxwell to London, where they allegedly met with the then-royal at a nightclub. She further alleged sexual activity with Prince Andrew at Maxwell’s home and at Epstein’s Manhattan residence, claims the prince has repeatedly denied.
During a November 2019 interview with Newsnight, Prince Andrew stated he was with his daughter Beatrice at a Pizza Express restaurant in Woking at the time of the alleged incident, asserting, “I was with the children and I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party.”
Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Prince Andrew’s involvement appeared to draw increased attention from U.S. Law enforcement. An internal Department of Justice memo dated December 19, 2019, indicates prosecutors were seeking to interview him. The memo notes efforts to identify Prince Andrew’s legal representation, with a stated intention to “request an interview” once contact information was secured.
Epstein’s death in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell’s subsequent conviction in 2021, did not end the scrutiny. Geoffrey Berman, the former Manhattan U.S. Attorney who oversaw Epstein’s prosecution, publicly criticized Prince Andrew for what he characterized as a lack of cooperation with the investigation.
In January 2020, Berman stated that Prince Andrew had provided “zero” cooperation despite public offers to assist. He further asserted that the prince had “completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation,” and that his office was considering its options. Berman reiterated this position in March 2020, accusing Prince Andrew of falsely portraying himself as willing to cooperate, despite repeatedly declining requests for an interview and explicitly stating through counsel that he would not participate.
Berman’s statements underscored the frustration of federal prosecutors with Prince Andrew’s refusal to be interviewed. As of Thursday, contact information for Prince Andrew’s press representative was not immediately available.
