KEEP SILENT AND CARRY ON
PRINCE ANDREW’S FAILURE TO TALK TO THE FBI MEANS HE’LL REMAIN A ROYAL EMBARRASSMENT
WITH Jeffrey Epstein dead and Ghislaine Maxwell now behind bars for the next 20 years, Prince Andrew’s former circle of friends has taken a huge hit.
Together, the three of them once enjoyed each others’ company jetting to their homes both in the UK and US.
At the same time, American billionaire Epstein and his socialite girlfriend Maxwell were trafficking teens to abuse. Now with Epstein gone and Maxwell incarcerated, the Duke of York may have thought his connection to this awful affair was finally over.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you will be aware that our ninth in line to the throne and the Queen’s “favourite son” has been accused of being caught up in the criminal couple’s sick world.
The self-proclaimed “teenage sex slave” of Epstein, Virginia Giuffre claimed she was forced to sleep with the Prince by Epstein and Maxwell in 2001, when she was 17.
Despite his vehement denials, the allegations led to an astonishing fall from grace for the Duke.
He has been stripped of numerous patronages and has stood down from public life.
All Andrew provided in response to Giuffre’s allegation were ridiculous explanations on sweating, allegations of a faked photo and the insistence that he had not once met his accuser. Giuffre then pursued the Duke in America which ended in an out-ofcourt £12 million civil settlement being paid to her by the royal.
Of course, the payment was in no way an admittance or acceptance of any of her allegations.
However crucially, the deal prevented Andrew from having to answer questions under oath. Questions Epstein’s victims, as well as the FBI, still deserve answers to.
At the time of the February settlement with Giuffre, the royal pledged “to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
So far, he has failed to keep his end of the bargain by speaking to any US law enforcement agency investigating his former pal’s crimes.
Several lawyers I spoke with last week, all of whom represent victims of Epstein and Maxwell, were unanimous in what they believe Prince Andrew should do.
One attorney, Spencer Kuvin, said if Andrew “did nothing wrong, then come forward and tell the full story to the FBI, not the media.” Lawyer Lisa Bloom was more direct, calling upon the FBI to “fully investigate Prince Andrew”.
The calls must serve as a warning to the grand old Duke.
Last week’s sentencing of Maxwell, Epstein’s lieutenant, should only be the start.
For such a large-scale enterprise to have been orchestrated by the late Wall Street financier, others must have played a part.
Giuffre’s own lawyer Brad Edwards said at the sentencing of Maxwell that prosecutors’ “next target” should be Epstein’s associates, and he is right.
So, while Andrew continues to plot his not-so-secret return to public life, perhaps the greatest hurdle he needs to overcome is his refusal so far to speak to the FBI.
Until he does, he will remain the palace pariah.