Prince Andrew denies ‘close friendship’ with Ghislaine Maxwell in new legal document

Prince Andrew has filed legal papers in his sex assault case that have sparked more questions than answers. These are the bizarre claims being made.

Prince Andrew has denied being a close friend of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, in a legal response to Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the Australian-based woman who is suing him in the US for alleged sexual assault.

The Queen’s second son has strongly denied all the allegations against him.

Ms Roberts Guiffre claims in 2001 she was trafficked by Maxwell and dead billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew in London when she was 17, and a minor in US law.

She also alleges she was forced to have sex with him at homes belonging to Epstein in New York and the US Virgin Islands.

By far the most damaging photo of Prince Andrew appears to show him with his arm around then 17-year-old Virginia Roberts Giuffre while Ghislaine Maxwell watches on. Picture: AFP

Prince Andrew faces damages which could “easily” be in excess of A$25 million if he loses the civil case, according to lawyers.

But in the 11-page court document, filed on Wednesday in New York, Prince Andrew’s legal team list a number of reasons why they believe her civil lawsuit should be thrown out.

One factor they have asked the court to consider is the issue of consent.

The document says: “Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the complaint, Giuffre’s claims are barred by the doctrine of consent.”

The document also states that Prince Andrew “admits that he met Epstein in or around 1999”, but denies that he participated in any abuse with the late financier.

Prince Andrew has admitted knowing Jeffrey Epstein but denied being “close friends” with Ghislaine Maxwell. Picture: AF

On the matter of a photograph of the prince with his arm around Ms Giuffre, with Maxwell in the background, his lawyers say they do not have enough information to admit or deny its existence.

Elsewhere, the document “denies” Ms Guiffre’s claim that Prince Andrew was a close friend of convicted sex trafficker Maxwell.

He did, however, admit to befriending late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Ms Roberts Giuffre’s legal team has alleged: “Prince Andrew was a close friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who spent years overseeing and managing Epstein’s sex trafficking network, and actively recruited underage girls, including Plaintiff.”

The Duke’s lawyers said he “denies” being close friends with Maxwell, and admits “he lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the remaining allegations”.

It comes after it was reported Maxwell visited Buckingham Palace up to four times in one day.

Prince Andrew has been stripped of his HRH and honorary military titles. Picture: AFP

Speaking on a British documentary Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile, former royal bodyguard Paul Page said: “From the way [Maxwell] was allowed to enter and exit the palace at will, we suspected that she may have had an intimate relationship with Prince Andrew.

Maxwell was convicted last month of five counts of sex trafficking and other charges for grooming and recruiting teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein between 1994 and 2004.

She faces up to 65 years in prison when she is sentenced in New York later this year.

Prince Andrew’s lawyers also said they had “no evidence” as to whether a photo of the Duke with his arm around Ms Roberts Giuffre as Maxwell watches on in the background actually existed.

The picture was allegedly taken by Epstein at Maxwell’s London house after the four of them went to Tramp nightclub, before, Giuffre alleges, Andrew had sex with her.

In court papers, Prince Andrew said he “lacks sufficient information to admit or deny” that he was pictured with Maxwell and Ms Roberts Giuffre.

On Newsnight, the prince claimed he had “no recollection” of the photo being taken and said it could have been “doctored”.

Ghislaine Maxwell is facing up to 60 years in jail for sex trafficking. Picture: AFP

Prince Andrew insisted that he had never been upstairs at Maxwell’s house, where the photo was taken and said he always wore a “suit and tie” in London.

This is despite the fact he was previously pictured wearing a similar-looking open-necked blue shirt after a night out at London’s Chinawhite club.

Prince Andrew, through his lawyers, has not denied inviting Epstein and Maxwell to Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday but said he lacked sufficient information to know if he did. A picture of Epstein and Maxwell with disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein at the party exists.

Lawyers for the Duke of York also say he wants to go before a jury to contest the claim brought by Ms Roberts Giuffre.

Writing to a US judge, his lawyers said: “Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint.”

US lawyer Lisa Bloom, who represents a number of Maxwell’s and Epstein’s accusers, called this demand a “PR move”, saying Ms Roberts Giuffre had already asked for a jury trial.

She said Prince Andrew’s request was “meaningless” as it was Ms Roberts Giuffre’s constitutional right to have a jury trial if she asked for one.

– with the Sun

Originally published as Prince Andrew denies ‘close friendship’ with Ghislaine Maxwell in new legal document