The Prince Andrew investigation has widened to include Royal Ascot 2002

This Sunday Times report contains several specific developments that require precise documentation.
Thames Valley Police are reportedly examining an allegation that Andrew behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot in 2002. The alleged incident took place at a cornerstone event of the royal family's summer calendar. The Queen was also present at Royal Ascot in 2002, the year of her Golden Jubilee.
The Sunday Times has not clarified whether this allegation was reported to police at the time or more recently. Thames Valley Police have confirmed they cannot go into specifics but are following all reasonable lines of inquiry.
The second and more legally significant development is this. TVP detectives are understood to be concerned that the public believes the investigation is limited to accusations that Andrew shared sensitive trade information with Epstein. The force wants it understood that the legal terms of the offence under investigation are considerably broader than that. They confirmed on Friday that their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office will also consider allegations of sexual misconduct.
That is an important clarification. The investigation that began with the allegation about sharing trade documents with a convicted paedophile now formally encompasses sexual misconduct allegations.
There is also a legal complexity worth noting honestly. TVP faces the challenge of proving whether Andrew held a public office at the time of the allegations. Misconduct in public office as a charge requires establishing that the defendant was acting in a public capacity. Whether a royal Duke and trade envoy meets the legal threshold for public office is not clearly legally defined and is likely to be contested. TVP have confirmed that if this were found not to be the case they would continue investigating any evidence of other separate offences.
This is important because it means the investigation does not collapse if the public office question is resolved against the prosecution. It simply redirects.
TVP have made a formal request to the US Department of Justice for the original versions of the Epstein files. They have not yet received any information. That request being outstanding is significant. The DOJ files that have been released are redacted in places. The original unredacted versions may contain material relevant to the UK investigation.
Searches have been carried out at Andrew's former homes in Windsor and Norfolk. Detectives are working through the evidence recovered.
The investigation is expected to be lengthy.
Royal Ascot is in June.
The Queen was there in 2002.
And Thames Valley Police are following all reasonable lines of inquiry.

Видео The Prince Andrew investigation has widened to include Royal Ascot 2002 канала Elizabeth Solaru