Pizza Express found ‘no evidence’ Andrew visited restaurant in Woking after infamous claim on Newsnight
PIZZA Express investigated whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor actually visited its Woking branch in 2001 after his infamous claim on BBC Newsnight.
The fast food chain held an internal inquiry into the disgraced former prince‘s alibi after he first revealed the claim to BBC host Emily Maitlis.
The company found “no evidence” that Andrew was there – but also couldn’t say he had not been there, reports the BBC.
Maitlis sat down with the former Duke of York in November 2019 – in a TV chat that would become one of Britain’s most famous interviews.
During the chatMaitlis probed Andrew on if he met Virginia Roberts Giuffre – who claimed she was made to have sex with him as a teen, back in 2001 after being trafficked by wealthy paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew had “no recollection” of meeting Giuffre, and claimed it could not have happen as he’d taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party on March 10, 2001.
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The surprising statement, alongside claims he does not sweat, became one of the most memorable – and mocked – moments of the interview.
Asked why he could remember something so specific from 18 years ago, the 66-year-old said: “Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is a very unusual thing for me to do.
“I’ve never been . . . I’ve only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly.
“As soon as somebody reminded me of it, I went, ‘Oh yes I remember that’.”
The BBC has now revealed an internal investigation into Andrew’s alleged visit was held in 2019 by the pizza chain.
Senior management looked into the legitimacy of the visit as they believed it was in the public’s best interest.
The inquiry included speaking to members of staff from the time, as well as searching through records.
The restaurant chain has now concluded that it failed to find any evidence proving the former prince’s visit – but it also was unable to substantiate anything to show he was not in attendance.
BBC Newsnight also made “extensive inquiries” into customer or staff witnesses to the then-prince’s attendance, but has failed to find anything.
Giuffre, alleged she was trafficked by Epstein, and compelled to have sex with Andrew on a number of occasions.
She said she was 17 during the first encounter – which happened after a night out at Tramp in London at Epstein and Andrew’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell’s townhouse.
Andrew has always strongly denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with Epstein – and claims he has no memory of meeting Giuffre.
He has branded the allegations “false” and “without foundation”.
But the episode and his friendship with Epstein was the catalyst that sparked his downfall, with him being stripped of his titles.
On February 15, 2022, he Andrew settled a lawsuit with Giuffre – sparing him a court battle.
Giuffre died by suicide on April 25, 2025, while Epstein took his own life in prison on August 10, 2019.
DOCUMENTED REFERENCES
Exploring Documented Records
Public interest in the Epstein case continues not only because of court proceedings and testimonies, but also due to the growing body of documented records that help researchers and readers understand the broader context. Beyond legal files and media reports, some independent projects have organized publicly available data connected to Epstein’s activities.
One example is a structured archive of documented Amazon order records, where purchases are cataloged with dates and product details. While individual items do not prove wrongdoing on their own, examining documented information alongside established facts helps paint a clearer picture of the environment and circumstances surrounding the case.
Browse the structured archive of documented order records
For readers looking to review primary-source style data rather than interpretations, exploring compiled records can provide additional context to the broader discussion.
