What did Andrew’s security witness on Epstein Island?
The MET Police are looking into claims Royal Protection Officers turned a blind eye to the actions of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and were loyal to the Royal, not the police or upholding the law.
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In brief…
- An anonymous former Royal Protection Officer tells Andy Hughes, presenter of The Crime Agents podcast, that other officers who visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island with Andrew Mountbatten WIndsor must have witnessed, and ignored, concerning behaviour.
- Hughes says that working for the former Prince was the “least desirable” role an officer could be given.
- He adds that despite this, officers who work with Royals long term often switch loyalty to the person they are working with, rather than the MET Police, going against their training.
What’s the story?
London’s Metropolitan Police are looking into claims that officers working as Royal Protection Officers for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor ‘turned a blind eye’ to potential criminal activity.
A former protection officer has revealed concerns to Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents podcast.
“Protection officers very rarely speak to journalists, and the reason for that is they like to operate in the shadows,” Hughes tells The News Agents.
Hughes says his source felt compelled to speak following new allegations against Andrew which emerged from the Epstein Files.
“Royal Protection Officers are assigned to a Royal, and it is not unusual for them to stay with that person for a decade or more,” he adds.
“The protection officer who has come forward, anonymously, became concerned that other members had become too close to Andrew.”
He says that working for Andrew was the “least desirable” role an officer could be assigned to.
“It is widely known that to be on Prince Andrew's detail was the one job officers didn't want,” Hughes says.
“This officer said to me that it's because they were put in awkward positions on many occasions, especially during the ‘Randy Andy’ days, when he was flying all over the world meeting women – which put them in a very difficult position.
“They were having to turn a blind eye to certain types of behaviour, and as a protection officer, that is simply not where you want to be.”
It was reported in the tabloids in 1978 that Andrew was given the nickname ‘Randy Andy’ while at a private boarding school.
‘They must have seen something’
The concerns raised by the anonymous officer related to the withholding of information by Andrew’s police security from their superiors.
“These officers don't work for the royal family – they work for the Met Police,” Hughes says.
“The officer was concerned about what they would have witnessed during the then-Prince Andrew’s visits to Epstein's private island.
“They said they must have seen something. They're not saying they definitely witnessed any criminality on Andrew's behalf, but they must have seen something.”
It is known that Andrew stayed on Epstein's private island at least twice, and on one occasion was flown – along with his security detail – on Andrew's private jet.
“This officer is saying that others who were with Prince Andrew must have seen something, because there were so many young women and girls on the island, and even if they didn't witness any criminality, they would have witnessed stuff that was extremely unsettling, and they should have reported it.
“He believes that they didn’t.”
Officers ‘put back in uniform’ as punishment for reporting Royal misbehaviour
The officer describes his colleagues as going "native" and believes their loyalty was to Andrew, not the MET.
Hughes says it is a part of Royal Protection Officers' training to never forget that they are police officers first and foremost.
He says officers who have reported concerns about possible criminal activity by Royal Family members in the past have been punished for their actions.
“It has been a regular thing that officers who have reported back would not only be taken off that unit, but also put back in uniform, walking the beat as punishment for reporting a member of the Royal Family,” Hughes adds.
“It just plays into this whole idea that this team's whole mission was to really protect the secrets of the royal family, rather than to report and protect the law.”
Hughes says he was "stunned" to receive a response from the MET Police saying it was looking into these claims, as it previously operated a "wall of silence" when anything was taken to them regarding the Royal Family and officers working as its security and protection.