Restaurant Looked Into the High Profile Claim
Pizza Express reportedly carried out an internal inquiry to determine whether Andrew Mountbatten Windsor visited its Woking restaurant on the day he claimed to have been there in March 2001. According to recent findings, the company could not confirm that he visited the restaurant. At the same time, it found no evidence proving he was not there either.
The claim became widely known after his televised interview in 2019, where he said he spent the afternoon at the Woking branch with his daughter, Princess Beatrice. He presented the visit as part of his account of where he was on the day he faced allegations made by Virginia Giuffre.
Staff Reviewed Records but Found No Clear Proof
During the interview, Andrew explained that his staff reviewed his diary and other records to confirm his activities on that day. He said Sarah Ferguson was away in the United States, leaving him responsible for spending time with his daughters.
According to his account, he took Princess Beatrice to a children’s party at Pizza Express in Woking during the late afternoon. Afterward, he said he returned home and stayed there for the rest of the evening.
However, the restaurant’s internal review reportedly failed to find any records or witnesses that confirmed the visit. It also did not uncover evidence showing that he was absent from the restaurant.
Allegations Linked to March 2001
Virginia Giuffre alleged that Andrew had sexual relations with her on 10 March 2001 when she was 17 years old. She claimed they met for dinner, visited a nightclub, and later went to the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, where the encounter allegedly took place.
Andrew has consistently denied the allegations and has maintained that the events described by Giuffre never happened.
The Woking Visit Became a Major Part of His Defense
Andrew’s reference to Pizza Express quickly attracted worldwide attention after the interview aired. Many observers described it as a key part of his explanation for where he was on the day in question.
Although the restaurant reviewed the claim internally, investigators reportedly found no evidence that could either verify or reject his account. Likewise, researchers found no confirmed witnesses who recalled seeing him at the restaurant that evening.
Ongoing Public Interest
The renewed attention comes as interest in Jeffrey Epstein related investigations continues. Reports have also highlighted that Andrew was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office by Thames Valley Police before being released under investigation. He has not commented on the latest report regarding the restaurant’s inquiry.
The findings do not prove or disprove Andrew’s account. Instead, they show that the restaurant’s review was unable to reach a definitive conclusion about whether he visited the Woking branch on the date in question.
