Woking, UK — Ekhbary News Agency
Pizza Express initiated an internal investigation into Prince Andrew's assertion that he visited its Woking restaurant on March 10, 2001, a date central to allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. The inquiry, revealed by BBC Newsnight, concluded without finding definitive evidence either supporting or refuting the Duke of York's claim. No records or eyewitness accounts surfaced from that specific night, for what it's worth.
Prince Andrew's Alibi Under Scrutiny
The former royal made his now-infamous statement during a 2019 Newsnight interview, claiming he had taken his daughter, Princess Beatrice, to the Woking branch for a party. This served as his alibi against Giuffre's accusation of sexual activity on that particular evening, which she alleged occurred at Ghislaine Maxwell's London residence. Pizza Express management launched their probe in 2019, driven by substantial public interest in the matter.
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Challenges in Verification and Broader Context
Investigators at the pizza chain faced significant hurdles, including the absence of historical records and the departure of the Woking branch manager from 2001. Consequently, the internal review could neither corroborate nor discredit Prince Andrew's account. This revisiting of the 2019 interview gains renewed relevance following the recent release of the Epstein files and Mountbatten-Windsor's brief arrest by Thames Valley Police in February on suspicion of misconduct, from which he was subsequently released under investigation. The ongoing lack of clarity surrounding such a pivotal claim continues to fuel public discussion.
