Met officers working for Andrew told to guard Epstein's home, emails show

Metropolitan Police officers were instructed to provide security for a dinner party at Jeffrey Epstein's New York home attended by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to emails released by the US Department of Justice.

The Met says it has not identified any wrongdoing by its protection officers "at this time". On Friday, the force said it is "identifying and contacting" former and serving officers who may have relevant information.

As a senior working member of the Royal Family at the time, the then Prince Andrew would have been accompanied by close protection officers as part of his security.

Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Emails released in the Epstein files appear to show arrangements for Andrew to stay with Epstein in December 2010.

In the correspondence, Andrew's private secretary asks for the address where he would have been staying and "confirmation on whether there is room for both his protection officers at the house".

Internal emails between Epstein's staff confirm that there was "room for both Andrew's bodyguards… one on the 4th floor and one on the 5th floor".

The emails suggest that Andrew and his Metropolitan police close protection officers were given a temporary security code to "get in and out" of Epstein's New York property.

In a message dated 1 December 2010, the evening before Epstein hosted a dinner party, an unidentified member of staff wrote to Epstein: "The Duke's 2 protection officers along with the state security will all be here for tomorrow's dinner party. Rich has given them instruction on the door".

The BBC had previously asked the Met whether the officers stayed at Epstein's home, as suggested in the emails, and whether they were given a security code to come and go as they needed.

The force said it does not comment on security arrangements for protected individuals.

The Met said that protection officers were held to the same high standards of professional behaviour as all police officers, adding: "They know their actions will be open to scrutiny."

The government's Royal Visits Committee is responsible for reviewing plans for official travel by working members of the Royal Family.

The committee consists of senior representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Royal Household, No10, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Cabinet Office.

The BBC approached the FCDO about whether the department knew of various trips made by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Epstein's properties.

A government spokesman said it reviewed the plans for official travel undertaken in 2008 and 2009 by the then Duke of York.

It added: "The RVC is not involved in private travel undertaken by working Members of the Royal Family, or any travel by non-working Members."

Andrew was arrested on Thursday last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation 11 hours later.

Searches at his former Windsor home, Royal Lodge, are continuing.