Pizza Express conducted an internal investigation into Prince Andrew’s claim that he visited its Woking restaurant in 2001, a review has revealed. The former prince stated in a 2019 interview that he had been at the Surrey branch on the day he is alleged to have met Virginia Giuffre. The pizza chain’s inquiry, however, found no definitive evidence to confirm or deny his presence at the Woking location on the date in question. Extensive searches for any records or witness accounts from the time have also yielded no corroboration of his visit.
Prince Andrew’s Alibi and the Pizza Express Claim
The claim involving Pizza Express in Woking became a focal point during Prince Andrew’s 2019 interview with Newsnight. He cited the visit to the restaurant as part of his alibi for March 10, 2001, the date Virginia Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with him. According to Prince Andrew’s account, he took his daughter, Princess Beatrice, to the Woking Pizza Express around 4 or 5 p.m. that afternoon, before returning home for the evening.
He elaborated on this during the interview, stating that his staff had reviewed his diary to piece together his movements. “I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking,” he recounted. “This has all been worked out by my staff, who’ve looked at the diary and everything else.” He also mentioned that his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was reportedly in the United States at the time, and he was adhering to a rule of ensuring one parent was present with their children whenever possible.
While the majority of the 2019 interview was broadcast, certain details, including further discussion about the Pizza Express visit and the review of his diary, were not included due to time constraints. Prince Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied any allegations of wrongdoing.
Pizza Express’s Internal Investigation
In response to the public interest generated by Prince Andrew’s statement, Pizza Express’s senior management team initiated an internal inquiry in 2019. The investigation aimed to ascertain the plausibility of the former prince’s claim. This process involved:
- Searching for any available records from the 2001 period.
- Attempting to contact former staff members and local management from that era.
Despite these efforts, the inquiry could not locate any definitive records of Prince Andrew’s visit. Furthermore, the manager of the Woking branch in 2001 had since left the company, making it impossible to obtain their testimony. Ultimately, Pizza Express concluded that its investigation yielded no evidence to either support or refute Prince Andrew’s assertion that he was at the restaurant that day.
Lack of Corroborating Evidence
Beyond the company’s internal review, independent inquiries have also failed to find any evidence that Prince Andrew visited the Woking Pizza Express on the night in question. Searches for any accounts from customers or staff members who might have seen him at the restaurant have proven unsuccessful. This lack of corroboration adds to the uncertainty surrounding the alibi.
Metropolitan Police Response and Calls for Transparency
In an effort to shed further light on Prince Andrew’s movements, a Freedom of Information request was submitted to the Metropolitan Police. The request sought to determine if any royal protection officers accompanied the former prince to the Woking branch in 2001. The police force responded with a “neither confirm nor deny” statement, citing national security as a primary reason.
The Met stated that confirming or denying the presence of protection officers would reveal whether specific individuals, other than the King and Prime Minister, had received such security, which they deemed a breach of national security. This stance has drawn criticism, particularly from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey. He argued that while police caution regarding protection details is understandable, the “neither confirm nor deny” response is often used without a legitimate security basis.
Sir Ed Davey called for an exception to be made in this case, expressing skepticism that revealing whether Prince Andrew had police protection 25 years ago would pose a security risk to counter-terrorism efforts, as suggested by the Met.
Background and Prince Andrew’s Denials
Virginia Giuffre alleges that she was compelled to have sexual encounters with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions, including when she was 17. One alleged encounter occurred on March 10, 2001, followed by dining and dancing, and culminating in a sexual encounter at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
In recent years, Prince Andrew has faced significant public pressure related to his association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This pressure led to the removal of his military titles and royal patronages by the late Queen in 2022, and the forfeiture of his “prince” title the following year. He also vacated his Windsor residence, Royal Lodge.
