The Metropolitan Police will not be launching a criminal investigation into reports that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor asked his taxpayer-funded bodyguard to investigate Virginia Giuffre in 2011.

The decision came after the force assessed the claims, which said Andrew had given his bodyguard Ms Giuffre's date of birth and social security number - and asked him to dig up dirt for a smear campaign against his accuser. Central Specialist Crime Commander Ella Marriott said: "Our thoughts will always be with Ms Giuffre's family and friends following her death.

"In 2015, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) received allegations relating to non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. These allegations primarily concerned events outside the United Kingdom , with one allegation of trafficking to central London in March 2001.

"Officers assessed all available evidence at the time, interviewed the complainant, Ms Virginia Giuffre as well as contacting several other potential victims. This did not result in any allegation of criminal conduct against any UK-based nationals."

In February 2011, a photo was published of Andrew with his arm around the waist of Virginia Giuffre - a victim of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew, who paid Ms Giuffre a reported £12 million in an out-of-court settlement, has repeatedly denied having sex with Ms Giuffre.

In a BBC Newsnight interview in 2019, he said he was at Pizza Express in Woking at the time Ms Giuffre claims they allegedly met. He also suggested the photo was faked, claiming he has a medical condition which stopped him sweating.

The Met Police said it was investigating the claims, after the revelations emerged in a series of leaked emails seen by the Mail on Sunday.