LONDON- Britain’s Prince Andrew has said in comments broadcast on Friday that he had no recollection of ever meeting an American woman who has alleged that she was forced to have sex with him while she was underage.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s accusers, has said she was forced to have sex with Andrew in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island from 1999 to 2002. She says Epstein kept her as a “sex slave”.
In an interview given by Andrew to the BBC’s Newsnight programme, the prince was questioned about the claim by Giuffre that she had sex with him in a house in London.
“I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever,” Andrew said.
Andrew, 59, is the second son of Queen Elizabeth. He got married to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 and the couple divorced 10 years later, however they remain close friends.
In another excerpt, shown by the BBC before the full broadcast of the interview at 2100 GMT on Saturday, Andrew was asked about his decision to stay in Epstein’s home in New York after his conviction.
“I stayed with him and that’s…that’s…that’s the bit that…that…that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family and we try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that,” he said.
Giuffre, who was previously named Virginia Roberts, has said that she first had sex with Andrew when she was 17 and underage.
A picture showing the prince with his arm around Giuffre’s waist from 2001 has appeared in British media. Unnamed supporters of Andrew told the Daily Telegraph newspaper in August that the picture had been faked. Andrew has denied any inappropriate relations with Giuffre
When the allegations were first made, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said it was “emphatically denied” that Andrew had any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.
Andrew has previously said he stood by the palace statements. He recently apologised over his friendship with Epstein.
He has also previously acknowledged he made a mistake after a photograph of him with Epstein in New York was published in a British newspaper in December 2010. The former investment banker was then a registered sex offender.
Epstein, 66, died by hanging himself in his Manhattan jail cell on Aug. 10.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.