Agents will interrogate ex-Prince Andrew’s ‘scared’ former minors
RadarOnline.com can reveal that Andrew Windsor’s former royal protection officers are expected to be questioned by investigators probing his past connections to Jeffrey Epstein, with police now trying to establish what members of his security team knew about the disgraced financier’s activities.
Windsor, who was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his association with Epstein, has long denied any wrongdoing related to the pedophile trade.
However, Andrew’s handlers have come under renewed scrutiny following the release of millions of documents by the US Department of Justice related to the Epstein investigation. Investigators have already spoken to at least one former senior police officer who once oversaw the Buckingham Palace police force, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The insider said: “The discussion was preliminary in nature, but conducted in a very straightforward and frank manner. Researchers sought to clearly establish what background knowledge might exist among people who previously had the highest responsibility for royal security.
“But the conversation has left Andrew’s former bodyguards shivering at the prospect of being interviewed about what they knew about his activities.”
“None of them want to be seen as accessories or as enablers,” the source added.
The insider added that the outreach to ex-minders was notable given the sensitivity surrounding the protection of members of the royal family.
They said: “It’s a significant development that detectives are contacting former officers who once oversaw royal protection operations. That kind of approach suggests investigators are determined to understand exactly what those teams knew at the time and whether any relevant information was overlooked, or to investigate whether eyes were turned off his behavior.”
The investigators attached to the source are mainly trying to understand whether members of Andrew’s protection team were aware of anything unusual during his visits to Epstein’s home in New York.
According to the source, investigators are asking former officers to provide memories that could aid future investigations. Our source said: “At its core, the investigation is simple: detectives want to know exactly what people observed at the time and whether they remember anything that could shed light on the wider picture.”
“It’s not really about getting former officers in trouble, but there could also be consequences for them if they are found to have enabled, ignored or covered up illegal behavior,” the source said.
The insider added officials are encouraged not to dismiss even seemingly trivial details when questioned.
They said: “Researchers make it clear that even information that might seem insignificant on its own could help build a clearer timeline or corroborate other stories. Sometimes the smallest memory can become an important piece of evidence when viewed together with other material.”
Another source familiar with royal protection operations said some officers may have developed unusually close relationships with those they were assigned to guard.
They said: “In a few cases it began to appear as if certain officers were absorbing the habits, speech patterns and attitudes of the individuals they were assigned to protect, raising eyebrows among colleagues.”
The insider added that the dynamic sometimes clouded the professional distance typically expected in security roles.
They said: “When security officers spend long periods of time around the same prominent figures, there is always a risk that the relationship becomes too familiar. In some situations this gave the impression that the officers were moving within the same social environment rather than maintaining the clear separation that the role normally requires.”
The source added that such assignments could also provide significant career benefits for the officers involved, so they were unlikely to expose illegal or questionable behavior.
They said: “Working in a Royal Protection Detail can open doors professionally and often brings opportunities that officers in other roles rarely experience, including travel abroad and proximity to influential figures.
“Because the role carries a certain level of prestige and access, some officers may feel reluctant to jeopardize that position by raising concerns about what they see.
“The environment itself can be very privileged compared to normal police duties, and this has occasionally led to resentment or tension among colleagues who feel that the assignments bring benefits not available elsewhere.”
