Andrew investigated over ‘inappropriate behaviour’ involving waitress at Royal Ascot

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is being investigated over an allegation of inappropriate behaviour towards a waitress at Royal Ascot, it has been reported.

It emerged last week that detectives from Thames Valley Police were probing whether the royal, formerly known as Prince Andrew, behaved inappropriately at the racing festival in 2002.

The annual horse race in Berkshire was attended by the late Queen Elizabeth II and other senior royals including King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, that year.

It has since been reported that the woman at the centre of the allegations was working as a waitress at the time, The Sunday Times reports.

It is unclear when the claim was reported and it is not thought that staff made the racecourse aware of it at the time, the publication said.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson told Metro: ‘We cannot go into specifics of the investigation, but we are following all reasonable lines of enquiry.’

Andrew attended at least two days of the five-day festival in June 2002, which came during the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee to mark 50 years of her reign.

During the festival, Andrew was pictured alongside Charles and his younger brother, Prince Edward.

The allegation is part of a wider probe into Andrew over allegations of misconduct in public office (MiPO) during his decade-long stint as a government trade envoy.

Andrew was arrested in February, on his 66th birthday, on suspicion of MiPO and held in custody for 11 hours before being released under investigation.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

The arrest came shortly after the US Justice Department released a batch of files as part of its investigation into the dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew’s association with Epstein, who died in prison while awaiting trial, eventually prompted the end of his career as a working royal.

It was through Epstein that Andrew reportedly met Virginia Giuffre, who was groomed and trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She claimed that she had sex with the then-prince three times.

Andrew has denied her allegations, but paid her an undisclosed sum in a 2022 civil settlement.

Initially, it was thought the police probe would only focus on Andrew’s actions as a trade envoy.

However, Thames Valley revealed earlier this month that its inquiry is considering aother allegations.

Any new evidence could form part of its ongoing investigation or be pursued as ‘standalone’ offences, it has been reported.

Metro has contacted Andrew and Ascot Racecourse for comment.