ROYALLY DESPERATE
THIS week’s sex-trafficking convictions for Ghislaine Maxwell could make it hard for Prince Andrew to get what he wants: his old life back. The Duke of York, 61, who once hosted Maxwell at Buckingham Palace, was banned from his public duties over his friendship with the alleged madam who groomed and recruited teen girls for the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He now faces a civil suit from Virginia Giuffre, who claims Maxwell and Epstein forced her to sleep with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17.
Just this week, Andrew’s legal team tried to get the case thrown out, insisting that Giuffre is not a US resident and lives in Australia. The prince’s lawyers claim that would mean she lacks the ability to sue the royal in New York.
A source who knows Andrew told The Post: “He would like to be back serving his country, carrying out his public duties, but this won’t be easy . . . having [the Giuffre] lawsuit dismissed will be one step towards that.”
Andrew is desperate to make a return to public life, according to sources who know him — and who believe it will be an uphill battle.
“There is no getting around the fact his reputation is badly tarnished, and in the process it has also tarnished the institution of the monarchy,” Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told The Post. “A lot of damage has been done.”
Bradley Simon, a former federal prosecutor turned defense attorney,
had told The Telegraph that it would be “guilt by association” for Prince Andrew if Maxwell was convicted.
“Given the fact that people seem keen to distance themselves from the Duke of York, I’m inclined to think a lot of the patronages that he has lost may not be recovered and there may be more to follow,” Little told The Post.
“My feeling is that more [patronages] would have gone had it not been a complicated process,” Little said. “It’s . . . delicate and there are certain organizations keen not to rock the boat or upset her [the queen]. To my mind, there is really no going back for the Duke of York.”
Family feud
Long known as a favorite of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, Andrew is not believed to have joined her for Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle this year. However, he is a regular visitor. “He continues to be a source of comfort to her — although, at the same time, he is no doubt a considerable worry to her, due to the situation he finds himself in,” Little said. “He is on hand to provide support to her, albeit in a personal capacity.”
It’s believed that Prince Charles, Andrew’s older brother and the heir to the throne, and Prince William were instrumental in the talks to remove Andrew from public life.
“It has been known for some time that Charles wants a slimline monarchy when he becomes king,” Little said. “Charles’ siblings may still be needed but that doesn’t mean that Andrew will be a part of it. Nor do I think . . . that [Andrew’s] daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will become working members of the family.”
There is also the question of who is paying for Andrew’s legal bills, as he has hired top legal firm Lavely & Singer to represent him in the Giuffre lawsuit.
According to the Times of London, Andrew receives around $323,000 a year from the queen from her private
To my mind, there really is no going back for the Duke of York. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty, on Prince Andrew
Andrew is eager to resume public duties — but the Maxwell verdict could hurt
funds. A retired naval man, he is entitled to an annual Royal Navy pension of just $26,000.
In January, the Sunday Times reported that Andrew was selling his $23 million Swiss chalet to settle a property lawsuit.
All of this — and the fact that Andrew no longer acts as a trade envoy for the UK — raises questions over how much money he has.
“Clearly it’s incredibly expensive given the legal representation that he has. If the queen is not paying then who is? He hasn’t any great wealth,” Little said. “He is paid from the privy purse, not taxpayer funded, so what comes from his mother is kept under wraps.”
Maxwell friendship
The Duke of York’s US-based legal team had been closely watching the Maxwell trial, during which the court heard that Andrew was among those who flew on Epstein’s private jet, nicknamed the “Lolita Express.”
It was Maxwell, an old friend, who introduced the prince to Epstein in 1999. She also invited Andrew to her London home in March 2001, an occasion marked by the now-infamous photo that shows the royal with his arm around a teenage Giuffre.
Maxwell is alleged to have told Giuffre the next day that she had done a “really good job” and made Andrew “really happy” after having sex with him.
Andrew invited Maxwell and Epstein to high-profile events, from Ascot to shooting weekends to his daughter Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday party. Maxwell was pictured sitting on a throne at Buckingham Palace, with disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, on a private tour arranged by Andrew in 2002.
The prince has long denied Giuffre’s claims, including during a disastrous BBC interview in November 2019 that led to him being booted from royal duties and losing 50 patronages.
He remains Colonel of the Regiment of the Grenadier Guards, a post he took over from his father, Prince Philip, which allows him to ride in the Trooping the Colour, the annual military parade to celebrate the queen’s official birthday.
According to the Telegraph, sources close to Maxwell had suggested “that she would be prepared to give evidence on behalf of the Duke should she walk free. Instead, the Duke will now have to try to distance himself from his old friend as he fights to salvage his own reputation.”
Meanwhile, the palace’s public relations headaches continue with reports that Meghan Markle could be called as a witness in the sexual-assault case against Andrew.
David Boies, Giuffre’s attorney, told the Daily Beast that Markle — who now lives in California with her husband, Prince Harry, after the two left their royal duties — could be a good subject for a subpoena, which would force her to give a statement for the court.
However, sources familiar with Markle called this “ridiculous.”
One thing that has reportedly given Andrew hope is that Giuffre, now 38, was not called as a witness in Maxwell’s trial. Laura Menninger, one of Maxwell’s attorneys, had said: “[Prosecutors] don’t want her to testify because she has a lot of credibility problems.”
The prince’s future
If the suit against Andrew does move forward, The Mirror reported that his legal team is weighing whether or not to call a key witness — a woman named Carolyn — from Maxwell’s trial.
Carolyn testified that Giuffre, not Maxwell, had taken her to Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion in the early 2000s. “They believe she holds a smoking gun to any possible role Virginia played in Epstein’s pyramid scheme of abuse,” a legal source told The Mirror.
Earlier this month, two judges ruled that a secret settlement between Epstein and Giuffre, which Andrew believes should protect him from Giuffre’s lawsuit, should be made public. It is set to be released next week.
One legal source on Andrew’s team told The Post: “Virginia Giuffre’s complaint can not stand. She’s made allegations that are old and beyond the statute of limitations. Most importantly, she has already waived claims when she settled with Epstein in 2009.”
On Wednesday, after the Maxwell convictions, Giuffre tweeted: “Maxwell did not act alone. Others must be held accountable. I have faith that they will be.”
No matter what happens, Little said, Andrew won’t completely disappear from public life.
“It doesn’t mean that we won’t see him. He will appear at large royal gatherings,” he said.
It was recently announced there will be a memorial service in the spring for Philip, who died in April. “It’s inconceivable to think Andrew wouldn’t be part of that large family gathering,” Little added. “Come the summer and early June, there are the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, of which both Andrew and Harry will also be a part.
“Andrew and Harry will always be members of the royal family, just not working members.”