Why the Prince Andrew accusations are surfacing now

A court filing in a civil case in Florida last week included new allegations against American businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who has previously pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution, as well as Prince Andrew and high-flying American lawyer Alan Dershowitz.

Wall Street financier Jeffrey Epstein, a known friend of the prince, was convicted in 2008. Photo: Gregory P. Mango

Is the case being brought against Prince Andrew?

No, the motion was filed as part of a civil case involving Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months' prison in 2008 for child sexual abuse, and paid compensation to 34 victims.

If Epstein was already convicted, why is there another trial?

Britain's Prince Andrew speaking in Beijing in October. Photo: Reuters

Four of Epstein's victims are taking legal action against the US authorities, claiming their victims' rights were violated when Florida prosecutors cut a plea deal with Epstein without consulting his victims.

As part of that legal action, which has already gone on for seven years, the women have demanded access to documents which, they claim, will show that Epstein's powerful friends, including Prince Andrew, lobbied the US government on his behalf.

The lawyers for two alleged victims have argued that the rights of the women were violated during the negotiation of Epstein's plea deal. The motion requests to add two more alleged victims to the case, including the woman, identified as "Jane Doe No.3", who said she had sexual relations with Prince Andrew and Professor Dershowitz when she was underage.

Elsewhere, Jane Doe No.3 has been identified as Virginia Roberts, the woman whose claims about Prince Andrew's dealings with Epstein in 2011 triggered the royal's resignation from a trade-related post in the UK.

Also, the US Attorney who agreed to the plea deal with Epstein now appears to believe it was too lenient.

Alexander Acosta wrote a letter in 2011 in which he said: "Some may feel that the prosecution should have been tougher. Evidence has come to light since 2007 which may encourage that view. 

"Had these additional statements and evidence been known, the outcome may have been different." 

What is the woman claiming?

That she had sexual relations as a minor with Prince Andrew in London, New York and on Epstein's private island in the Virgin Islands. Epstein told the woman to give the prince "whatever he demanded" and "report back to him on the details", the motion said.

Who is Epstein?

He is a Wall Street financier with ties to education, having worked in both industries. His early career was spent teaching calculus, before he became an options trader, and then began his own financial management firm to serve billionaires. 

Are people taking the claims against Prince Andrew seriously?

Buckingham Palace has already issued two denials, saying: "It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with [the woman].

"The allegations made are false and without any foundation."

The statements are unusual because the palace typically refrains from commenting on most media reports.

Why else are people watching closely?

Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein is well known and has been a source of controversy. In 2011, he stepped down as Britain's roving trade ambassador after his links to Epstein prompted calls for him to quit.

'Andrew is a great man, the best in the world': Fergie comes out fighting for her prince on slopes as she says York family 'is a tight unit' and will back duke to the hilt over claims he slept with 'underage sex slave'

• Duke of York is back in mansion home in Windsor after ski holiday in Alps
• He is believed to have held crisis talks with the Queen over sex scandal
• Aide says the prince will 'move on' and attend Davos summit this month
• Ex-wife Sarah Ferguson today insists the family will stick together
• Virginia Roberts writing a tell-all book about Prince Andrew allegations 
• She claims she had sex three times with Duke of York when under-age
• He slept with her in New York, London and Caribbean, court papers claim 
• Duke accused of abusing girl 'procured' for him by Jeffrey Epstein  
• Allegations robustly denied by Buckingham Palace in three statements
• Claims by woman's father she met the Queen also categorically denied  

By Arthur Martin In Verbier For The Daily Mail and Richard Shears and Martin Robinson and Richard Spillett for MailOnline

Published: 20:06 AEST, 5 January 2015 | Updated: 05:27 AEST, 6 January 2015

The Duchess of York launched an extraordinary defence of her former husband Prince Andrew today, describing him as 'the greatest man there is'.

Sarah Ferguson appeared in public for the first time since the Duke of York was accused of having sex with an under-age girl in a US court.

The Duchess has kept a low profile at the luxury Swiss ski chalet where she has been holidaying with Andrew and their younger daughter Eugenie.

But today she emerged from the £22,000-a-week chalet and went for a mountain walk dressed in black sportswear.

Asked by the Daily Mail if she was sticking by the Duke, she replied: ‘The York family is a tight unit. We’ve always been a tight unit.

‘He is the greatest man there is. It was the finest moment of my life in 1986 when I married him. He is a great man, the best man in the world.’ 

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Sarah Ferguson has come out in defence of her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, insisting: 'He is the greatest man there is.' The Duchess of York has stayed on at the ski resort where she and the Duke were staying with family and friends when the sex scandal broke last week

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Looking unbowed by the pressure of recent days, Fergie spoke out in support of her ex-husband as she went on an Alpine walk this afternoon

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The 55-year-old Duchess said the day she married Prince Andrew in 1986 was the 'finest moment of my life'

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The Duke has denied abuse claims by Virginia Roberts, pictured in Denver, Colorado this weekend

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Miss Roberts claims Prince Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 – a minor under US law – and employed as a 'sex slave' by his friend Jeffrey Epstein

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Prince Andrew left the resort yesterday, bound for Britain and talks with the Queen, senior aides and lawyers

The Duke and Duchess separated in 1992 but remain close and regularly go on holiday with each other at the luxury Swiss ski resort of Verbier.

Sarah was with Andrew when he was accused of abusing a girl 'procured' for him by his close friend and convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.

The extraordinary allegation was made by Virginia Roberts as part of a US civil case against shamed billionaire Epstein. She claims

Prince Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 - a minor under US law - and employed as a 'sex slave' by Epstein. 

The Duke was meanwhile holed up at his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor today from where he is believed to have spoken to the Queen by phone to tell her he is innocent of claims levelled against him in a US court.

Aides say he will not let allegations of abuse by Virginia Roberts stop his work championing British technology and industry.

He is expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21 after discussing the civil case in Florida with his lawyers and advisers.

A source close to the royal said: 'The Prince is nothing if not resilient. He is determined to push on with his work, not least because the civil case is an ongoing process that won't end anytime soon. There have been many twists and turns already.

 'Since 2011 the Duke has made huge strides in trying to help young entrepreneurs and the British technology and enterprise sectors. He will carry on with that work. That is his priority.'

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Fergie had not spoken about the claims until today, when she opened up while walking through the hills

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The Duchess, who is still close friends with Andrew despite their split, passionately defended her ex-husband

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Serious: Both the Duke of York and his daughter Eugenie looked tense as they were swept away from the chalet yesterday and taken to a private jet

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The Queen pictured driving into Sandringham today, is believed to have spoken to Andrew by phone

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It is said Miss Roberts (pictured on Saturday) will put her claims in a book which could be released this year

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Miss Roberts has not spoken about her claims since details of the court case emerged late last week

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Fresh scandal: Prince Andrew pictured in 2001 with Virginia Roberts, who claims in court she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York three times while underage and is said to be planning a book about her life

The Queen is expected to continue staying in Sandringham, Norfolk until February and she was seen at the country estate today driving her Range Rover.

It is understood Prince Andrew will remain in Windsor for a week - although a trip to see the Queen face-to-face has not been ruled out. 

In a strongly-worded statement, a Buckingham Palace spokesman has said: 'It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. The allegations made are false and without any foundation.'

It emerged this morning that the scandal may be worsened for the Prince if Miss Roberts goes through with plans to put her claims into a book.

MailOnline understands she intends to name American politicians, business executives, foreign presidents and a well-known Prime Minister with whom she claims the Prince's former friend Jeffrey Epstein forced her to sleep.

It is thought Miss Roberts, whose father claimed she has met the Queen, could publish the book this year, which means the scandal shows no sign of abating for the royal family.

Mr Roberts has since withdrawn his claim, saying it was a misunderstanding 

The prince – who looked sombre as he left his luxury £22,000-a-week Swiss ski chalet yesterday – today met with his most senior aides and lawyers in his mansion close to Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace is said to have conceded the furore 'isn't going to go away' after Prince Andrew returned to Britain following a luxury holiday with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and daughter Eugenie.

The Duke of York had been locked inside a £22,000-a-week ski lodge in Verbier since he was accused of abusing the girl 'procured' for him by his close friend and convicted paedophile Epstein. But he left the Swiss resort yesterday afternoon. 

The extraordinary allegation made by Virginia Roberts is part of a US civil case against shamed billionaire Epstein. She claims Prince Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 – a minor under US law – and employed as a 'sex slave' by Epstein.

The fifth in line to the throne slept with Miss Roberts at an orgy with other under-age girls on Epstein's private Caribbean island, as well as in a private house in London and in Epstein's New York mansion, according to the court papers. 

If Miss Roberts does publish a tell-all book, which expands on the claims she made in court papers, it could be a major embarrassment to Prince Andrew and the Royal Family.  

who coined the phrase "sex slave"..?

You don't mind that I'm 15?'

Melbourne vigilantes claim to expose paedophiles in Tinder experiment

Date

January 6, 2015 - 8:31PM

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Tammy Mills

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Prince Andrew allegedly spent time with girls, Woody Allen at home of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

A grim-faced Prince Andrew.

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Convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

PRINCE Andrew spent time with several young women and controversial film director Woody Allen while staying with paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein in the United States, it has been claimed.

At least five girls were spotted going into Epstein’s New York mansion during Andrew’s 2010 visit, it has been claimed.

American Virginia Roberts, 31, has claimed she was forced to have sex three times with the Duke of York when she was 17, which in Florida is below the age of consent.

In explosive court papers she claimed she was recruited as a 15-year-old, turned into Epstein’s “sex slave”, and paid cash to sleep with his rich and famous friends.

It’s claimed Allen, 79, who caused outrage when he began a relationship with his young stepdaughter, Soon-Yi, in 1992, was one of the few male visitors to Epstein’s plush pad.

Neighbours say he arrived just before a Sunday lunch with Soon-Yi, 35 years his junior and now his wife, and the pair spent more than an hour inside.

Allen’s adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, has accused him of sexually abusing her as a child — a claim Allen denies.

Andrew, 54, stayed with the shamed Epstein, 61, for four days in December 2010, shortly after the billionaire financier had finished a jail sentence on child prostitution charges.

Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting an under-age girl for prostitution and jailed for 18 months.

The comings and goings were said to have been witnessed by Andrew’s royal bodyguards. New York police were also on duty in the Manhattan street as the prince remained holed up in Epstein’s palatial seven-storey home.

At one point during Andrew’s visit, TV star and neighbour Bill Cosby — now the subject of multiple rape allegations — asked about the excessive security.

A local said Andrew’s visit caused quite a stir. “Andrew barely left the house but lots of people, including Woody Allen and several young women, were seen going in while he was there,” the local said.

After photos emerged of Epstein and the prince walking together, Buckingham Palace ordered Andrew to end the friendship.

Buckingham Palace insists the prince never had any sexual contact with Ms Roberts, with whom he was once pictured, an arm around her.