The Duke of York is facing fresh scrutiny over allegations he had sex with a trafficked teenager and about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew‘s accuser Virginia Giuffre called on the British public to stand up beside her in her fight as she told BBC Panorama how the duke’s sweat was “raining basically everywhere”.
“I was just like grossed out from it, but I knew I had to keep him happy because that’s what Jeffrey and Ghislaine (Maxwell) would have expected from me,” she said in her first UK television interview.
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She claims the Duke of York slept with her three times – twice while she was underage – after she was trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew and Buckingham Palace have denied the claims.
She said: “He knows what happened. I know what happened. And there is only one of us telling the truth.”
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A Buckingham Palace statement said: “With regard to the Duke of York’s association with Mr Epstein: The Duke of York unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s suicide left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims.
“The Duke deeply sympathises with those affected who want some form of closure. It is his hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. The Duke is willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.
The Duke has already stated that he did not see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to Jeffrey Epstein’s arrest and conviction. He deplores the exploitation of any human being and would not condone, participate in, or encourage any such behaviour.
“With regard to the allegations made by Ms Roberts (Giuffre): It is 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.”
Ms Giuffre says: “The people on the inside are going to keep coming up with these ridiculous excuses, like his arm was elongated or the photo was doctored or he came to New York to break up with Jeffrey Epstein. I mean come on.
“I’m calling BS on this. He knows what happened, I know what happened. And there’s only one of us telling the truth, and I know that’s me.”
David Boies, a lawyer for five of Epstein’s victims, says they have tried to interview the prince, saying he ought to talk and no one is above the law.
Five more women want him to testify and subpoenas have been prepared. The next time he visits the US, he faces having to answer questions.
The prince says he is willing to help law-enforcement agencies if required.
Some sealed court statements may soon be made public.
Ms Maxwell denies abusing or trafficking women but if charged, the prince could be a witness.
“Jeffrey had a sickness that could not be cured and should not be in society,” Ms Giuffre says.
Ms Maxwell is now being interviewed by the FBI. Nine women have complained about her in sex charges.
Ms Maxwell does not dispute Virginia Roberts was in her house and had her photo taken with Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew in 2015 emailed Ms Maxwell asking for her help over Virginia Roberts. She said he could call her.
In 2006 Prince Andrew invited Epstein to the UK while he was being investigated for sex crimes with underage girls.
The financier was given just 13 months in prison.
Ms Giuffre acknowledges she might have got some dates and details muddled but sayd she doesn’t forget the face of an abuser.
Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein had taken Ms Ransom’s passport so she could not escape from the island, she says.
Ms Giuffre says she had sex with the prince three times – in New York, London and Epstein’s Caribbean island.
She says she was forced to take part in an orgy on the island in 2001.
Sarah Ransom also went to the island, believing Epstein was a benefactor. She said on the plane Epstein had sex on board the plane there.
She was asked to lie on a massage table, then started abusing her and raped her.
Virginia Roberts reported details of that night to the Metropolitan Police, alleging she was forcibly trafficked, but police did not follow it up.
Ghislane patted her on the back and tolf her she’d done a really good job.
“These powerful people were my chains. I couldn’t comprehend how at the highest levels people were allowing this to happen. Not just allowing it but participating in it.”
The prince said he recalled no sexual contact.
Ghislaine Maxwell told her that she had to do for Andrew what she did fo Jeffrey. “And that made me sick. I didn’t expect it from royalty, from someone people look up to and admire – the royal family.”
She asked someone to take a picture to show her family.
They then went to the bedroom to have sex.
Afterwards he got up and said thanks.
She felt horrified and ashamed and dirty, she said.
Ms Giuffre describes going to a nightclub with Epstein and Prince Andrew. “I mean it was horrible and this guy was sweating all over me, like his sweat was like it was raining basically everywhere. I was just like ‘ugh’ – grossed out from it, but I knew I had to keep him happy because that’s what Jeffrey and Ghislaine would have expected from me,” she says.
Mike Pezzulo, a local handyman who worked near the house, says he say lots of girls coming and going every day. Everyone on the street knew what was going on, he says. Prince Andrew visited too.
Ms Giuffre tells how she was asked to take her clothes off and she succumbed, and let them abuse her.
“They seemed like nice people so I trusted them and told them I was a runaway and had been sexually abused. It was the worst thing I could have told them because they knew how vulnerable I was. It was a gift for them.”
When she was 17, Ghislaine offered her the chance to work as a masseuse for Epstein, and went to his home for an interview, where he was lying naked on a table, Ms Giuffre says.
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