Epstein accuser says she was 'trafficked to Prince Andrew'
20 September 2019, 19:33
An alleged victim of disgraced New York financier Jeffrey Epstein has said in a television interview that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 years old.
Speaking to NBC, Virginia Giuffre - formerly Roberts - said the Duke of York “knows the truth” about three occasions - in London, Epstein’s New York mansion and in the US Virgin Islands - where she claims she was forced into sexual encounters with him.
She recalled being introduced to Epstein - and later Prince Andrew - through Epstein’s former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
“The first time was in London - I was so young. Ghislaine woke me up in the morning and said: ‘You’re going to meet a prince today,’” she said.
“I did not know at that point I was going to be trafficked to that prince, and then that night Prince Andrew came to her house in London.”
Mrs Giuffre, who is among 16 women who say they are victims of convicted sex offender Epstein, went on to talk about how she partied with Prince Andrew, Epstein and Maxwell at an exclusive club in Mayfair.
“We leave Club Tramp and I hop in the car with Ghislaine and Jeffrey, and Ghislaine said: ‘He’s coming back to the house and I want you to do for him what you do for Epstein.’”
She added: “I couldn’t believe it.”
Mrs Giuffre then described how the prince had “said thank you” and used “some kind of soft sentiments” after the alleged incident.
“He wasn’t rude or anything about it,” she said, adding: “I couldn’t believe that even royalty were involved.”
The Duke of York has denied the allegations against him, with Buckingham Palace also saying that it had nothing to add on previous statements.
“It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts,” the palace has said.
“Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”
In a statement released last month, Prince Andrew said: “At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness of suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.”
