Queen Elizabeth’s second son, Prince Andrew, personally denied claims he slept with American woman Virginia Roberts when she was 17.
“I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements which have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace,” Prince Andrew said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, referencing the Palace’s three denials of the allegations. He added, “My focus is on my work.”
The comments came after Virginia, now 31, said in court papers filed on Wednesday that Jeffrey Epstein — an American financier and convicted sex offender — used her as a “sex slave” when she was a teenager. She claimed it was during that time that Jeffrey lent her to his friend, Prince Andrew, for paid sex “three times, including an orgy.” USA Today reports Virginia is demanding that Prince Andrew responds to her comments under oath.
“That denial is false and hurtful to me… I did have sexual contact with him as I have described here — under oath,” she said in the court documents, which were filed in Florida. “I was hoping that he would simply voluntarily tell the truth about everything. I hope my attorneys can interview Prince Andrew under oath about the contacts and that he will tell the truth.”
The newspaper notes that Prince Andrew’s personal denial is “unprecedented,” as British royals generally don’t denounce accusations against them.
