Prince Andrew named in 'sex slave' lawsuit
In documents filed in Florida as part of a long-running lawsuit brought by women who say they were exploited by banker and financier Jeffrey Epstein, a certain royal's name has popped up.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York (second son of the queen, younger brother to Prince Charles), is mentioned in the court document as a participant in sexual activity, reports The Guardian.
The woman, one of several in the lawsuit, and who filed the motion anonymously, alleges that between 1999 and 2002 — when she was a minor — she was repeatedly sexually abused and lent out by Epstein to rich and influential men around the world. Among her claims is that she was forced to have sex three times with Prince Andrew, says The Guardian.
The story prompted Buckingham Palace to issue a denial today on behalf of Andrew. Royals have been named before in divorce cases (embarrassing enough), but this appears to be the first time a senior royal has been accused of pedophilia in a court case and been forced to issue a denial.
"This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which The Duke of York is not a party. As such we would not comment on the detail," the palace said in a statement. "However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue."
Also accused in the lawsuit is famed attorney and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who tells The Guardian that the claims against him are "totally false and made up." He told Politico: "It's totally, unequivocally and completely false." He added that he intends to file bar complaints against the lawyers for inadequately vetting their client's story.
It's not the first time Andrew has been linked to Epstein.. The connection goes back to 2001, when Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, got into hot water when she accepted money from Epstein to pay off debts.
Epstein, 61, was jailed for 18 months in 2008 after being convicted for soliciting an underage girl (she was 14) for prostitution. Andrew made a controversial visit to Epstein in New York two years after his release from prison.
Their friendship has already damaged Andrew: In 2011, it forced him to step down from his long-time role as a trade envoy for British business around the world, leaving him with less to do as a senior royal. Meanwhile, as he has moved down in the succession (he's soon to be sixth in line), he and his daughters, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, matter less; the two princesses have had to go out and get their own jobs instead of relying on royal salaries.
The duke has previously been accused of meeting Epstein's young victims and possibly being aware of their sexual exploitation. In April, the Daily Mail detailed stories from Virginia Roberts, 30, who said she spent four years employed by Epstein traveling with him, meeting famous people and performing "erotic massages," among other things. She said that she met Andrew three times, but did not say that he had been involved in sex.