[Story updated at 5:17pm]: Prince Andrew's legal team have now refuted claims from US prosecutors that he has refused to assist with their investigation. "Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by press briefings in the US, he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen," they said in a new statement. They also added that he has offered to speak with them at least three times.
There's been a new development in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case involving Prince Andrew, as the Department of Justice formally request the royal (who stepped down from his duties in the wake of the scandal) cooperates with their investigation into his 'former friend'.
An anonymous source said of the move, “It’s a huge statement of intent from the US and it moves Andrew into the realms of a criminal investigation. It’s also frankly a diplomatic nightmare."
Epstein, a billionaire paedophile, was found dead in a prison cell last year after hearing he faced charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex. He had already been sentenced in 2008 for soliciting underage girls for prostitution.
This is hopefully a big step forward in the case as it's reported by The Sun that up until now, Prince Andrew (younger brother of Prince Charles and father of Beatrice and Eugenie) has refused to answer questions from the New York prosecutors. The Duke of York has denied any wrongdoing and ever meeting victim Virginia Giuffre, a key whistle-blower in the case who alleges that she slept with the royal while underage, despite there being a photograph of them together.
There is also photographic evidence of Prince Andrew leaving Epstein's mansion in 2010 (two years after he was convicted of crimes relating to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution) and walking around a nearby park with him.
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"I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever," he told interviewer Emily Maitlis during an explosive Newsnight interview last November. Prince Andrew also claimed the reason he was pictured with Epstein in 2010 was because they met to discuss their friendship ending.
Royal corresponder Rebecca English said the new requests for questioning are a "major development", adding that there had been no comment on them from Prince Andrew's legal team so far.
English added in subsequent tweets, "Legal discussions with the DOJ are subject to strict confidentiality rules, as set out in their own guidelines... We have chosen to abide by both the letter and the spirit of these rules, which is why we have made no comment about anything related to the DOJ during the course of this year. We believe in playing straight bat.
"For those wondering, Andrew has had his own legal and PR teams since stepping back as a senior working royal and Buckingham Palace largely no longer comment or deal with enquiries on his behalf."
Prince Andrew could be required to appear in court over the case when it does go to trial.
Epstein was also friends with convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein and US President Donald Trump.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
