Pizza Express carried out its own internal investigation into the former Prince Andrew’s infamous claim that he was at its Woking restaurant on the day Virginia Giuffre alleged he sexually assaulted her.
During his widely criticised 2019 Newsnight interview, Andrew insisted he had spent the afternoon of 10 March 2001 at Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter, Princess Beatrice, before returning home that evening.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor said his staff had checked his diary to confirm the visit, explaining that Sarah Ferguson was away in the United States and he had been caring for his daughters.
According to BBC Newsnight, Pizza Express bosses later launched an internal inquiry because they believed the claim was a matter of significant public interest.
The restaurant chain searched for historical records and attempted to trace former members of staff and local management. However, the manager of the Woking branch at the time had already left the business.
The inquiry ultimately found no evidence that Andrew had visited the restaurant – but equally no evidence that he had not.
BBC Newsnight also conducted its own extensive investigation, speaking to potential witnesses and examining whether any customers or staff recalled seeing Andrew at the restaurant. The programme said it found no record of anyone remembering the Duke being there on the evening in question.
The BBC also submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Metropolitan Police asking whether Andrew had been accompanied by royal protection officers on the day. Scotland Yard refused to confirm or deny whether it held the information, citing national security concerns.
The response prompted criticism from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who questioned why confirming police protection from 25 years ago would pose any security risk.
Virginia Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex with the former prince when she was 17 after being trafficked by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied the allegations.
In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre, while making no admission of liability or wrongdoing.
