Prince Andrew: ‘I let the side down’
The Duke of York has admitted he “let the side down” over his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. But in an unprecedented television interview he also denies ever meeting Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
After years of scrutiny over his links to the billionaire financier, Prince Andrew conceded for the first time his behaviour had “not been something that was becoming of a member of the Royal family”.
Asked about repeated allegations he had sex with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a 17-year-old, in 2001, the Duke replied he had “no memory” of ever meeting her.
Epstein was found dead in prison in the US in August while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Giuffre, now 36, has alleged the Duke had sex with her three times when she was 17 and a sex slave for Epstein.
The interview with the BBC’s
Newsnight was conducted this week at Buckingham Palace with the approval of the Queen, and was due to air in full over the weekend.
Royal sources said the Duke had decided to grant the interview in the hope it might “draw a line” under the scandal.
He is understood to have overruled aides who warned the move was a “bad idea”.
In a clip broadcast yesterday, the Duke was asked by the BBC’s Emily Maitlis why he maintained a friendship with Epstein after the paedophile financier was released from jail in 2011.
“I stayed with him and that’s the bit . . . as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis,” the Duke replied.
“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.”
Maitlis asked the Duke whether he had sex with Giuffre at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, who is said to have acted as Epstein’s “madam”. “She says she met you in 2001, she says she dined with you, danced with you at Tramp nightclub in London,” Maitlis said. “She went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia belonging to Ghislaine Maxwell, your friend. Your response?”
The Duke replied: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
Unsealed court documents this year disclosed two of Epstein’s alleged sex slaves had accused the Duke of making advances on them. Footage then emerged of him at Epstein’s home in 2011. A Channel 4 documentary last month disclosed that the Duke and Epstein met at least 10 times between 1998 and 2010, and Epstein had 13 phone numbers for the Duke.