Met to look at claims Andrew asked police bodyguard to get dirt on accuser

Under scrutiny.... Prince Andrew

- By Emily Ferguson Royal Editor

Scandal... abuse victim Virginia Giuffre who took her life, Andrew with a teenage Virginia and the now jailed Ghislaine Maxwell; the late paedophile Fostein

THE Met Police have pledged to look into reports that Prince Andrew tried to get one of its officers to dig up dirt on his sex assault accuser Virginia Giuffre.

A bombshell email obtained by a Sunday newspaper appears to show Andrew asked his taxpayer-funded Met bodyguard to investigate Ms Giuffre and passed him her date of birth and social security number.

It is not clear whether this request was carried out. It comes after the King's brother announced on Friday night that he would relinquish his remaining royal titles, including Duke of York, and public duties amid renewed scrutiny over his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and an alleged Chinese spy.

Victoria Derbyshire interrupted her stand-in hosting slot on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg to deliver the update from the force.