Shock twist in Prince Andrew sex abuse claim

Prince Andrew may make a dramatic move against his Australian-based sex abuse accuser after shamed socialite Ghislaine Maxwell made a surprise revelation.

A former friend of Prince Andrew has made a startling claim that has spurred the royal to launch a bid to overturn the settlement he struck with the Australian-based woman who accused him of sexual assault.

In her first filmed interview from behind bars, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, 61, insists: “I have no memory of them meeting.”

A photo of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in prison. Picture: Supplied

The Duke of York has consulted lawyers in an attempt to get Virginia Roberts Giuffre to retract her allegations and possibly secure an apology after she dropped her lawsuit against another man she accused of sexual assault, The Mail on Sunday reports.

Roberts Giuffre dropped her US lawsuit against paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s former lawyer Alan Dershowitz last year — admitting that she “may have made a mistake”.

The Duke of York may be making a dramatic legal bid. Picture: AFP

The Sun reports that the Duke of York is consulting US lawyers Andrew Brettler and Blair Berk and hopes to force a retraction or even an apology — which may clear the way for a return to royal duties.

Sources told the Mail that King Charles will not oppose any legal action Prince Andrew might take to clear his name.

Ms Roberts Giuffre claimed she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17, having been trafficked by convicted paedophile and financier Epstein who was found dead in his jail cell four years ago.

But now, the royal believes he has fresh grounds for a legal challenge after both the collapse of Roberts Guiffre’s case against Dershowitz and a new intervention from former Epstein girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

An undated handout photo taken at an undisclosed location and which Ghislaine Maxwell (R) has no memory of and suggests is “not real,” according to a new interview. Photo: AFP

In an exclusive interview with US network CBS, the jailed socialite insists the accusations against her “dear friend” Prince Andrew are unfounded.

She says she never introduced him to Roberts Giuffre, as had been claimed, and that she has “no memory” of her ever meeting the accused royal. She also says the widely circulated photo of Prince Andrew with Roberts Giuffre with herself posed smiling in the background is “not real.”

“I have no memory of them meeting. And I don’t think that picture is real.“There is no original of that photo, (just) copies of copies and parts of it, according to some experts, look like it has been photoshopped. I don’t remember her in my home.”

Prince Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing. Picture: Getty Images

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is reportedly back in the royal family fold. Picture: Getty Images

Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

It comes as reports emerged that the late Queen gave Prince Andrew her blessing to use his HRH title in a private capacity after he was banished from public life and had his royal patronages stripped away at the height of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

The former couple as newlyweds in 1987. Picture: Getty Images

Since the death of his mother, Prince Andrew is said to be pushing King Charles for the return of some of his privileges - including the use of the HRH title, The Telegraph reports.

Meanwhile, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has reportedly been bonding with Camilla, Queen Consort as she realises “she is the power behind the King”.

In a shock twist – which would have been unthinkable if Prince Philip or the Queen were still alive - Fergie has been welcomed back into the royal family, the Mail Online reports.

Originally published as Shock twist in Prince Andrew sex abuse claim