Duke denies rejecting approaches from FBI
Source says Duke is angry over claims from New York but ‘happy’ to help with Epstein investigation
The Duke of York last night hit back at the FBI, claiming he had received no request to speak to them about Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke, 59, was said to be “angry and bewildered” at claims that he had refused to co-operate with US prosecutors about the convicted paedophile. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” a source close to him said. “The Duke is more than happy to talk to the FBI but he hasn’t been approached by them yet. He is angry about the way this is being portrayed.”
THE Duke of York last night hit back at the FBI, claiming he had received no request to speak to them about Jeffrey Epstein as alleged victims urged him to “stop playing games” and assist the investigation.
The Duke, 59, was said to be “angry and bewildered” at claims that he had refused to cooperate with US prosecutors about the convicted paedophile.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” a source close to him said. “The Duke is more than happy to talk to the FBI but he hasn’t been approached by them yet. He is angry about the way this is being portrayed and bewildered as to why this was said in New York. It seems certain people are jumping the gun.”
The source insisted that the Duke remained willing to assist the investigation and as such, had been holding weekly meetings with his lawyers at Royal Lodge, his Windsor home, and at Buckingham Palace in preparation.
His intervention came after US prosecutors heaped public pressure on the Duke by announcing he had provided “zero co-operation” to their requests for an interview.
Royal sources branded the move a “publicity stunt” designed to pile on public pressure and force his hand. But one admitted that the Duke could not ignore the scandal and that it was hoped he would comply.
The Duke recently engaged a leading team of criminal lawyers who are painstakingly going through the details of the case as they consider how to react.
The source added: “The Duke accepts he made a big mistake by continuing to see Epstein after he was convicted, and for not showing sufficient empathy for the girls involved. He is desperate to make up for it.”
The Duke’s new legal team is thought to have been acquired in the wake of his Newsnight interview about his friendship with Epstein and claims by Virginia Roberts Giuffre that she was forced to sleep with the Duke when she was trafficked to London by Epstein as a teenager. The Duke has vehemently denied the allegations, telling the BBC that he has no recollection of ever meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre.
Meanwhile, it emerged last night that the Met Police may reopen its investigation into Epstein allegations.
Scotland Yard dropped the probe into sex-trafficking claims against Epstein in 2016 but the force told The Sun that its pre-investigation “could be reopened in light of the current revelations and further victims coming forward”.
It added: “There has been a renewed focus on Mr Epstein’s friends and associates which could potentially instigate further criminal and/or civil investigations against these individuals.”
Geoffrey Berman, a US prosecutor, said on Monday that both federal prosecutors and the FBI had asked to interview the Duke about Epstein but had received no response, despite his pledge to co-operate with the investigation.
The Duke’s most recent comments prompted a stand-off with prosecutors, who insisted that they had approached his legal team more than once.
A source revealed they had circumvented the usual route of making contact via the US embassy, telling The Telegraph: “I believe this was an attempt by the US office and the FBI to contact his legal team directly. More than once.”
A spokesman for US attorney’s office in New York said last night: “In light of the statement Prince Andrew issued I just feel it’s appropriate to say we’ve made several attempts to contact his representatives.”
Lisa Bloom, who represents five of Epstein’s alleged victims, said: “Push has come to shove…it’s time to stop playing games and to come forward to do the right thing and answer questions.”