Prince Andrew is facing a criminal probe after allegations he used a fake name to register his company. The Duke of York allegedly set up Naples Gold Ltd in 2002 under the name 'Andrew Inverness', a reference to the Earl of Inverness title bestowed on him by his mother Queen Elizabeth II when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. But anti-monarchy group Republic believes he has provided false information to Companies House, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
Giving false information to Companies House can result in an unlimited fine or even 51 weeks in prison in England and Wales, or six months in Scotland. Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic chief executive, has now filed a complaint to the Metropolitan Police about the registration of Naples Gold Ltd, which was dissolved in 2021. Mr Smith said: 'The royals appear to believe they can act with impunity, an impression given weight by the lack of police action on serious allegations of corruption and sexual offences. 'The apparent filing of false information with Companies House may seem trivial, but the UK faces serious issues of fraud committed in this way. While no such fraud is alleged here, surely Andrew must be held to the highest standards.' It is understood the Met, is considering the report while Andrew's representatives are yet to make a statement. It comes as polling suggests the British public is keen for Andrew to reveal how he secured funding to keep his security team at Royal Lodge after it was removed by his brother, King Charles. A Met spokesman said: 'The Met received a report relating to a Companies House filing. This report will now be assessed to determine whether any further action is required. There is no investigation at this early stage.' Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter