British police have launched “initial inquiries” into the conduct of royal protection officers who travelled with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.
The move follows claims that some members of the royal protection team “turned a blind eye” during visits to the island, according to The Sun.
An unnamed former protection officer alleged that teams from the Royalty and Specialist Protection unit accompanied Andrew to the island on at least two occasions. On one trip, the group is said to have travelled aboard Epstein’s private jet, known as the “Lolita Express”.
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Speaking to radio station LBC, the former officer said: “The big question for me is what Andrew’s protection team witnessed on Epstein Island.
“I’m not suggesting they definitely witnessed any criminality from Andrew…
“…but there was concern that certain members of the royal protection team wilfully turned a blind eye to what was happening on the island.”
The development comes as police across the UK examine material contained in newly released US Department of Justice files relating to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
British police have appealed for information following claims that women were trafficked and abused in Britain, allegations that surfaced in the latest tranche of the so-called Epstein files. According to The Telegraph, at least eight police forces are assessing whether to open formal investigations.
West Midlands Police confirmed it is reviewing private flights in and out of Birmingham Airport. Surrey Police has also urged anyone with information about allegations of human trafficking and sexual assault in the 1990s to come forward.
In a statement, Surrey Police said it had become “aware” of a redacted report in the Epstein files alleging “human trafficking and sexual assaults on a minor” between 1994 and 1996 in the village of Virginia Water.
“After reviewing our systems using the limited information available to us, we found no evidence of these allegations being reported to Surrey Police,” the statement read.
“We therefore encourage anyone with information in relation to these allegations to report this to us.” The statement did not name any individuals involved.
Epstein Files – A fresh tranche of three million documents relating to the late Jeffrey Epstein was released. Credit: Deptartment of Justice/Department of Justice
Essex Police said it was also “assessing” information concerning private flights into and out of Stansted Airport.
“We are assessing the information that has emerged in relation to private flights into and out of Stansted Airport following the publication of the US DoJ Epstein files,” the force said in a statement, which did not reference Andrew by name.
Pressure has mounted in recent weeks for a broader investigation into Andrew’s links to flights associated with Epstein. Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown has called for police to examine the former royal’s connections to dozens of flights dating back decades.
Writing in the New Statesman last week, Mr Brown said he had been “told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights”.
“I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry,” he stated, adding it appeared “the authorities never knew what was happening”.
“In short, British authorities had little or no idea who was being trafficked through our country, and for whom other than Epstein.”
Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles by his brother, King Charles III, after one of Epstein’s victims alleged she had been trafficked to have sex with him, has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to his association with Epstein.
Buckingham Palace has said it is “ready to support” police in their inquiries.
Epstein didn’t deny Andrew’s sex claims
It comes as Jeffrey Epstein did not dispute that former prince Andrew had sex with Virginia Giuffre.
A recently released Jeffrey Epstein email from 2015 reveals the disgraced financier did not deny a claim by a journalist that Andrew had consensual sex with Ms Giuffre — a claim Andrew has vehemently denied.
In the email, New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr tells Epstein to distance himself from the then-prince.
“I mean in the end he had consensual sex with VR. And VR worked for you. The rest is atmospherics,” Thomas wrote. “You have moved on! People don’t know that and can’t accept that unless you say as much.”
Epstein did not dispute the assertion after earlier admitting that his “reputation has admittedly taken a hit” during the exchange.
It was also reported that Epstein may have kept “zombie plants” that produce a drug capable of debilitating people.
In more emails from the Epstein files, Epstein asked an associate about “trumpet plants”, referring to the highly poisonous Angel’s Trumpet toxin.
The drug the plants produce — known as “devil’s breath” — can make people submissive and cause memory blackouts.
