Prince Andrew Faces Met Probe, Lease Scandal

Bombshell documents revealed that Prince Andrew asked a taxpayer-funded Metropolitan Police protection officer to "investigate" Virginia Giuffre, supplying her date of birth and U.S. social-security number, prompting an urgent Met internal inquiry and calls for a criminal investigation. Reporting has also exposed that Andrew paid a decades-long "peppercorn" rent for Royal Lodge, a 30-room Windsor property, despite millions spent on renovations, ongoing maintenance obligations and visible disrepair, and that he could face a reported £558,000 payment if he vacates. The Prime Minister said he would back an MPs' inquiry, while protesters, the campaign group Republic and the SNP have demanded a full investigation and moves to strip him of his dukedom. Giuffre's posthumously published memoir alleges she was trafficked to Andrew; she reached a confidential civil settlement in 2022 and her family has urged further probes. Andrew says he will stop using his remaining royal titles and public duties, remains a prince by birth, denies wrongdoing, and faces intensified political and public scrutiny.