Newly disclosed correspondence suggests a senior member of the British Royal Family sought to leverage police resources to gather information on a woman who had accused him of sexual assault.
The emails, reportedly from 2011, indicate the individual provided a personal protection officer with the American Social Security number and date of birth of Virginia Giuffre. The apparent goal was an inquiry into her background. This request is said to have been made before a widely circulated photograph of the royal with his arm around Giuffre was published that same year.
In one message, the royal is alleged to have written, “It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States,” before noting he had provided her personal details for investigation. It remains unconfirmed whether any such police inquiry was ever conducted.
The accuser, Virginia Giuffre, had been a central figure in the scandal surrounding the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. She publicly alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein and that the royal had sexually assaulted her while she was a minor, claims he has consistently and vigorously denied. Giuffre died earlier this year.
A government minister has described the released correspondence as “deeply concerning,” stating the allegations would be examined. Representatives for the accuser’s family have stated the emails reveal the tactics used to discredit survivors of abuse.
The royal at the center of these allegations previously stepped back from public duties and, following discussions within the family, relinquished his military affiliations and royal patronages. In a past statement, he said the continued scrutiny was a distraction, though he maintained his denial of all accusations against him. He has also publicly expressed regret for his association with Epstein.
