Met Police must quiz bodyguards says former royal protection chief
SCOTLAND YARD was last night urged by a former chief superintendent to interview the personal protection officers who accompanied Prince Andrew on trips to meet Jeffrey Epstein.
Dai Davies, a former head of royalty protection, said the officers may have recorded potentially vital material in their notebooks or diaries.
‘Other staff working for Andrew might also be able to assist an investigation,’ he added.
Equally, he said, the officers may be able to clear up certain issues, possibly in the Prince’s favour.
And he warned that even though ‘some PPOs [personal protection officers] are, or were, far too close’ to the Royals, nothing should prevent them from answering questions.
‘Given the seriousness of the issue and the harm it’s doing to the Royal Family, there needs to be a professional investigation,’ said Mr Davies. ‘Police need to gather and find evidence, interview witnesses – not wait for evidence to come to them.’
Mr Davies has already called on Scotland Yard to interview Prince Andrew under caution.
‘It is an obscene failure by the Metropolitan Police not to instigate an investigation,’ he said.
He also revealed he has concerns about the Met’s handling of allegations involving Andrew, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in the past: ‘I would like to know who decided they didn’t warrant any kind of investigation, and then at what level was that decided.
‘Did it go all the way to the Commissioner, or even further up the chain to Home Secretary level?’
Details of how student Johanna Sjoberg was allegedly groped by Andrew at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion in 2001 have been revealed in newly released court papers. At the time the Duke was accompanied by a protection officer who stayed at the house.
Andrew has always denied all accusations of sexual activity with Epstein’s accusers and vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
The Yard has looked at the allegations made against Andrew at least twice.
In 2021, one of its most senior officers, Commander Alexis Boon, was tasked with reviewing claims made by Virginia Giuffre, née Roberts, in her civil lawsuit.
Detectives are understood to have contacted her directly but decided to take no further action.
In 2016 the Met concluded it could not investigate human trafficking allegations relating to Andrew because any probe ‘would be largely focused on activities and relationships outside the UK’.
A spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the release of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein. As with any matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention we will assess it.’