Crisis-ravaged Andrew’s log-cabin summit with the Queen
And Fergie went too as prince bolted to Balmoral
PRINCE Andrew yesterday bolted back to Balmoral just days before the civil case brought against him by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims is due to be heard in court for the first time.
The Queen’s son was seen arriving at her private 50,000acre estate in the Scottish Highlands with ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, ahead of Monday’s hearing in New York.
The couple made the 500-mile journey by car for the second time this summer. They last visited the Queen on Royal Deeside just a month ago.
Shortly after arriving yesterday, Andrew joined his mother for lunch at a secluded cabin in a forest a few miles from the castle.
They spent around an hour-anda-half together at the fishing lodge on the banks of the River Dee, before she left.
Andrew reportedly darted out from the rear of the property to avoid being spotted and headed into the forest, where he was picked up by his Metropolitan Police royal protection officers.
Although sources close to the Duke of York said the trip was a long-planned holiday, it has been suggested he may be trying to avoid representatives for his accuser’s lawyers, who have been trying to serve papers on him at Royal Lodge, his Windsor mansion. Security guards have stopped ‘multiple’ attempts in recent weeks.
Andrew is being sued in America by Virginia Giuffre who accuses him of rape and sexual abuse when she was a child who ‘he knew was a sex-trafficking victim’. Andrew has always vehemently denied these allegations. She has repeatedly accused the royal of having sex with her when she was aged 17 in London, the US and the British Virgin Islands. US legal experts say that under the Geneva Convention, Andrew or his legal team – if he nominated them – must be served with the papers in person.
Under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, papers must be served on all defendants within 120 days after a civil complaint is filed at court. Otherwise the action can be dismissed unless the plaintiff can ‘show good cause for the delay’. This means Mrs Giuffre’s lawyers will have until December 8 to serve the papers on Andrew.
On Monday, a judge is due to hear for the first time details of the civil suit she is bringing against him via a telephone conference in Manhattan, New York. There is no requirement for Andrew or his legal team to be on the line and sources indicated yesterday that there was no intention for them to take part in any official capacity. But legal experts have also warned that the prince could harm any future defence if he continues to try to avoid the action. If all attempts at serving the papers failed, a judge could decide to go ahead with the case anyway if persuaded that all reasonable efforts had been exhausted.
If Andrew, 61, refuses to accept the civil summons, which was issued by a New York court clerk
‘It’s a terrible look for him’
nearly four weeks ago, he risks facing a ‘judgment by default’.
Mark Bederow, a top New York attorney, said: ‘It’s a terrible look into something where in theory you’d want to rely on your credibility as a royal.’
The duke’s spokesman has repeatedly declined to comment.
According to sources, the Duchess of York has been a ‘pillar of strength’ for Andrew. It is not clear how long the two will remain in Scotland. Andrew has nothing official to rush back to as he has been forced to step back from royal duties due to the scandal over his friendship with Epstein.