Take me to trial!

Defiant Prince Andrew’s tactic vs. sex suit

A defiant Prince Andrew wants a sex-abuse lawsuit brought against him in New York by longtime Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre to go to trial, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

In an answer to Giuffre’s complaint, Andrew’s attorneys requested that the case go to trial — and asserted a number of “affirmative defenses” while denying all accusations of wrongdoing.

Andrew (inset), 61, also specifically denied the allegation that he and Epstein’s cohort Ghisliane Maxwell were “close friends,” as Giuffre claimed in her suit.

Among the defenses raised were “consent” and “statute of limitaclaimed tions,” according to the papers filed in Manhattan federal court.

“Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the Complaint, Giuffre’s claims are barred by the doctrine of consent,” one of Andrew’s attorney, Andrew B. Brettler, wrote in the document.

Brettler added, “Giuffre’s claims are barred in whole or in part by the applicable statute(s) of limitations.”

Giuffre sued Andrew in August 2021, claiming the royal sexually abused her while she was a teen at least three times, in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands.

In each instance, Giuffre she was forced by Epstein and Maxwell to engage in sex acts with Andrew.

Giuffre claimed she “feared death or physical injury to herself ” if she disobeyed their orders.

Andrew was required to answer the complaint to avoid a default judgment against him — and federal rules require a party to request a jury trial, said Sarah Krissoff, a former New York federal prosecutor.

There is still opportunity for the dispute to be resolved before trial, either by the judge or a settlement, Krissoff added. But the case will now move into the discovery phase.

“During that phase, each side has an opportunity to obtain information relevant to the case, including documents and deposition testimony,” Krissoff said.

“There will be another opportunity for the parties to ask the court to resolve the case, or part of the case, short of a trial, but it will be very difficult for the court to do so given the fundamental dispute between Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew.

“If the parties don’t reach an out-of-court settlement, I would expect this case to go to trial,” Krissoff said, adding that she thinks Andrew will show up in New York if it does go to trial, given how vigorously he has denied the allegations.