‘A sh--tshow’: Royals’ furore over Prince Andrew’s silence amid sexual assault allegations

Royals fear Prince Andrew’s silence since the commencement of court proceedings against him alleging sexual assault is making his situation worse.

Royals are growing increasingly frustrated over Prince Andrews’ silence since the commencement of court proceedings against him alleging sexual assault, with one reportedly describing the situation as a “sh--tshow”.

The Duke of York has remained resolutely silent since Australian woman Virginia Giuffre lodged her claim for damages against him over allegations that he assaulted her three times in 2001 when she was 17, The Sun reports .

The British news outlet reported that one senior royal source had described the situation as “a s--tshow of epic proportions”.

It’s understood the 61-year-old’s lawyers advised him to remain tight-lipped following his infamous interview on the BBC’s Newsnight in November 2019. In the interview, Prince Andrew categorically denied he had sex with Ms Giuffre, then know as Virginia Roberts, after a night out in 2001, and said he was at the restaurant Pizza Express with his daughter Princess Beatrice.

But now royal sources are questioning this tactic, and fear the apparent “stonewalling” is making his situation worse.

Prince Andrew is the subject of a new civil lawsuit in which he is accused of sexual assault. Picture: AFP

One insider told The Sun: “There are serious questions within the Royal Family about the Duke’s legal strategy.

“No one outside Andrew’s immediate team has a clue what’s going on — there’s absolute silence. It may be legally correct, but to the outside world, it’s disastrous, beyond parody.

“Everyone around the Royal Family is utterly perplexed and staggered that the Duke has been brought to this position.”

Meanwhile, Prince Charles can’t see a way that his brother will be allowed back into public life following the accusation, causing lasting damage to the monarchy.

Prince Andrew is said to be having crisis talks with lawyers by phone and visited his mother the Queen at Balmoral, supported by daughter Princess Eugenie.

Ms Giuffre is suing Prince Andrew via a civil lawsuit, in which she claims she was “forced to have sexual intercourse with Prince Andrew against her will” and lists offences including “rape in the first degree”.

Prince Andrew has not yet been required to file a defence in the proceedings.

Experts say the case could span at least two years – potentially overshadowing the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year – and cost the Duke millions of dollars, according to The Sun.

Prince Charles was reported to believe that even if the civil case against his brother fails, it is still a reminder of Andrew’s links to disgraced financier, the late Jeffrey Epstein.

The Prince of Wales, 72, is said to be “furious” with his brother as he attempts to protect the monarchy from another scandal.

Prince Charles is ‘furious’ over Prince Andrew’s lawsuit. Picture: AFP

A source close to Charles told The Times: “The prince loves his brother and has the ability to have sympathy for the slings and arrows that his brother endures, whatever the reasons may be.

“His ability to support and feel for those having a tough time is well known.”

Charles and Prince William are also both reportedly concerned about how the case is being handled by Andrew’s legal team, The Sun said.

They are said to share growing frustration at the tactics of silence from the Duke since the lawsuit was filed in New York on Monday.

A royal insider told the Daily Mail: “The family find themselves in an extraordinarily difficult and sensitive situation given the nature of the allegations.

“They are limited in what they can say publicly and now that the Duke of York is no longer a working royal they are actually rather limited in what control they can exert over the situation privately.”

The Duke of York stepped back from all of his 230 charity patronages in 2019, with Buckingham Palace indicating that he hoped to return to his public roles at some point.

Following the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, it was claimed that Andrew was preparing for his return as recently as February this year.

In May this year it was reported that almost 50 organisations had quietly or publicly removed Andrew as patron.

But Buckingham Palace still lists dozens of organisations that he is supposedly the patron for.

The shock comments from his brother come after reports that Andrew may also lose his HRH titles over the lawsuit.

‘NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW’

Britain’s top police officer has said “no one is above the law” when asked about allegations of sexual assault against Prince Andrew.

Dame Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, spoke after a lawyer for Virginia Giuffre, the Australian-based woman who has accused the Duke of York of sexually abusing her while she was a minor, said it “would be very ill-advised for Prince Andrew to ignore judicial process” to avoid the civil suit she has brought in the US.

Commissioner Dick said she had also asked police to look at the decision not to formally investigate allegations that Jeffrey Epstein, the former financier and friend of Prince Andrew who committed suicide in a New York prison after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, had also committed sexual crimes in Britain.

‘Not above the law.’ Britain's top cop Cressida Dick, right, with Prince Charles. Picture: AFP

Asked about Prince Andrew’s current position, the Met police chief added: “No one is above the law.” She said the force was “open to working with authorities from overseas”. “As a result of what’s going on, I’ve asked my team to have another look at the material.”

Commissioner Dick said the Met would follow developments with the civil case against the disgraced royal and would review its position again in response.

“I’m not going to talk about individuals, but what I can say is that I think what you’re referring to is associated with Jeffrey Epstein, who I will talk about since he is deceased,” Commissioner Dick said when asked about the allegations against Prince Andrew on radio in the UK.

“And the position there is that we have had more than one allegation that is connected with Mr Epstein and we have reviewed those, assessed those, and we have not opened an investigation.”

Prince Andrew has had crisis talks with the Queen. Picture: Getty Images

She said that police had considered “is there evidence of a crime, is this the right jurisdiction for this to be dealt with, and is the person against whom the crime is alleged still alive? We have concluded that there is no investigation for us to open and we haven’t [opened one].”

Commissioner Dick added that she believed it was the “right decision” after advice from the Crown Prosecution Service and two reviews.

But, she said: “I’m aware that currently there is a lot more commentary in the media and an apparent civil court case going on in America and we will, of course, again review our position … But, at the moment, there is no investigation.”

ANDREW COULD BE STRIPPED OF TITLE

Prince Andrew could be stripped of his “His Royal Highness” over the lawsuit.

The Duke of York had reportedly been hopeful for a return to public life – but this may have been shattered as he could lose his title after already being removed from frontline duties.

Earlier this week, the Duke of York reportedly had a crisis meeting with his mother the Queen after he was sued for sexual assault by an Australian-based woman.

The Duke of York, 61, left for Balmoral with ex-wife Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson hours before a US summons was sent to his Windsor home, The Sun reported.

It came as Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in a New York court, accusing the royal of sexual assault.

Prince Andrew could lose his HRH title. Picture: AFP

A Balmoral source said of Her Majesty, faced with the fallout from Megxit and whose husband Prince Philip died in April: “The Queen could do without this after the year she has had”.

“Summer at Balmoral is a special time when the family come together, take stock, relax and recharge their batteries,” the course said, according to The Sun.

“But the first thing she is having to deal with is her 61-year-old son turning up on her doorstep with his ex-wife, hours after learning he is being sued for allegedly abusing a 17-year-old girl.

BOMBSHELL CLAIMS

Giuffre is seeking unspecified damages for battery and infliction of emotional distress, claims Prince Andrew abused her at least three times while she was 17.

Each time, Giufrre alleges she was instructed by either Epstein or his alleged madame, Ghislaine Maxwell, to engage in sex acts with the Duke of York, New York Post reports.

On one occasion detailed in the civil lawsuit, Giufrre claims she was forced to have sex with the prince at Maxwell’s London home.

“During this encounter, Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew forced Plaintiff, a child, to have sexual intercourse with Prince Andrew against her will,” the law suit states.

She alleged that she was abused by the prince alongside another victim at Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion, according to the suit.

Australian woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre has accused the royal of sexual assault. Picture: AFP

“During this encounter, Maxwell forced Plaintiff, a child, and another victim to sit on Prince Andrew’s lap as Prince Andrew touched her.

“During his visit to New York, Prince Andrew forced Plaintiff to engage in sex acts against her will,” the suit states.

“On another occasion, Prince Andrew sexually abused Plaintiff on Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, Little St. James,” it adds.

Giuffre’s lawyer, David Boies, wrote in the suit she “feared death or physical injury to herself” if she disobeyed Epstein and Maxwell’s orders.

Before filing the suit, Boies told the Daily Mail that he planned to file the action against the prince — who has long been accused of abuse by Giuffre.

The Duke of York with his daughter, Princess Beatrice. Picture: AFP

Andrew’s legal team has ignored two formal legal letters offering to sign a “tolling agreement” that would extend the statute of limitations and allow negotiations to continue, Boies said.

“This could be devastating for Andrew,” a source told the UK outlet of the suit.

“If he chooses to fight it and is deposed [forced to give evidence], then those depositions could end up being made public,” the source said.

The Duke of York has always denied having sex with Giuffre — even denying knowing her and questioning the authenticity of a now-notorious photo of them hugging.

Buckingham Palace has “emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts”.

“Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation,” the palace has said.

A representative for Prince Andrew declined to comment on the latest legal matter, the Mail on Sunday said.

Epstein took his own life in his New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex charges. Maxwell remains in custody in Brooklyn awaiting trial for allegedly recruiting underage girls for Epstein. She has pleaded not guilty.