Prince Andrew Remains Untouched by Police Despite Years of Epstein Allegations
By Royal & Investigations Correspondent
Published in a global news outlet, March 2026
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, continues to attend royal engagements and public events with no visible sign of active criminal investigation, even as fresh batches of Jeffrey Epstein documents — released under the 2026 U.S. Epstein Files Transparency Act — repeatedly mention his name in connection with serious allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Prince has not been questioned by UK police since his widely criticised 2019 BBC interview and the subsequent civil settlement with Virginia Giuffre in 2022. That out-of-court agreement, for an undisclosed sum with no admission of liability, effectively ended Giuffre’s legal action against him in the United States. No criminal charges have ever been brought in Britain or the United States.
The most recent document releases (January–March 2026) have again placed Andrew in the spotlight. Newly unredacted flight logs confirm he travelled on Epstein’s private aircraft multiple times between 1999 and 2002. Additional emails and messages show Epstein name-dropping the Prince to business contacts and referring to their “mutual friend” relationship. One 2001 message from Epstein to a third party casually mentions Andrew’s availability for a meeting in New York. None of the material made public so far contains direct evidence of criminal conduct by the Prince, but the sheer frequency of references has kept public and media attention fixed on him.
Metropolitan Police launched Operation Tangle in 2019 after Giuffre’s allegations became public. The investigation was formally closed in 2020 with a statement that “no further action” would be taken. A spokesperson reiterated in February 2026 that the MPS “has no active investigation into Prince Andrew in relation to Jeffrey Epstein” and that any new material would be assessed “in the normal way.” No request for interview has been made since 2019.
Buckingham Palace has consistently maintained that the Prince has “stepped back from public duties” and denies any wrongdoing. Since 2022 he has retained his private royal title and residence at Royal Lodge, Windsor, although he no longer uses HRH style or performs official engagements on behalf of the Crown. King Charles III has made no public comment on the matter since early 2022.
The contrast between Andrew’s continued freedom of movement and the ongoing suffering of Epstein’s victims has become a recurring point of criticism. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, was one of the most prominent voices accusing the Prince. Other survivors have described years of trauma, shame and institutional indifference. Advocacy groups continue to argue that the lack of formal questioning or charges sends a message of impunity when allegations involve royalty or extreme wealth.
Public opinion in Britain remains divided. Polls conducted in early 2026 showed roughly 60% of respondents believe Andrew should face further questioning if credible new evidence emerges, while a significant minority view the matter as closed. Protests during royal events — including Commonwealth Day 2026 — have repeatedly featured signs reading “No Justice, No Peace” and photographs of Giuffre and other accusers.
The Epstein files themselves have not produced new criminal evidence against Andrew. Most mentions are social or logistical in nature; no previously unseen photographs, recordings or witness statements implicating him in criminal acts have been made public in the 2026 batches. Still, each release reignites debate over whether British authorities have been too deferential toward royal status.
Legal experts note that any future criminal investigation in the UK would face significant hurdles: the statute of limitations for most relevant sexual offences has expired, and any prosecution would require evidence strong enough to overcome diplomatic and constitutional sensitivities. Extradition from the UK to the US would be even more complex.
For now, Prince Andrew continues to live privately but visibly — attending family events, walking in Windsor Great Park, appearing at occasional private functions — while Epstein’s survivors and their advocates wait for answers that, nearly seven years after Epstein’s death, still seem distant.
The question that lingers is not only whether Andrew will ever face formal questioning, but whether the British legal and political system is structurally capable of treating a senior royal the same way it would treat any other citizen accused of serious wrongdoing.
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