Pizza Express held Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s Woking claim

One of the ways we tried was to make a freedom of information request to the Metropolitan Police, asking whether Royal Guard officers had accompanied the former prince to the Woking branch 25 years ago.

The force said it could “neither confirm nor deny” that it had the information, citing “national security” among other reasons.

“Confirming or denying that information is being held shows that it is protected by a specific individual other than the King and the Prime Minister,” the Met replied.

This is what Scotland Yard has previously mentioned about Montbatten-Windsor’s close protection officers, including in A Press release issued in February.

The Met’s response drew criticism from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.

“Obviously the police are very careful not to give any information about who they are giving special protection to,” he told the BBC.

“I completely understand that and it’s correct. But we often see answers like this, ‘confirm it or not,’ where there really isn’t a legitimate security reason – and I think that’s what’s happening here.”

He called for a “discrepancy” in the power to expose the information.

“I can’t see how revealing that Andrew was under police protection 25 years ago is playing into the hands of the terrorists,” he added.

Gifre died by suicide In April 2025.

Montbatten-Windsor’s military titles and royal patronage were abolished by the late Queen in 2022 and he was He was stripped of the title of “Prince” last year. He also left the Royal Lodge of Windsor amid pressure on the royal family over its relationship with pedophile financier Epstein.

He has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing.