Prince Andrew ‘stayed at Epstein’s New York mansion around time of alleged sexual encounter with Virginia Giuffre’

Duke of York reportedly had three hours of unaccounted-for private time while staying close to home of convicted sex offender

Samuel Osborne
Monday 14 December 2020 19:50 GMT
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<p>Royal has strenuously denied having intimate contact with underage girl</p>

Royal has strenuously denied having intimate contact with underage girl

Prince Andrew reportedly stayed at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion in New York around the time one of the convicted sex offender’s accusers alleges the Duke of York had underage sex with her.

The duke had three hours of unaccounted-for private time while staying close to Epstein’s home during a working visit to the US, the Daily Mail reported.

Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, claims he had sex with her in March 2001 when she was 17, still a minor under US law.

She also alleges they had sex a second time weeks later in New York, and a third and final time on Epstein’s private island when she was 18.

Prince Andrew categorically denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Ms Giuffre.

The newspaper claimed its investigation had found an afternoon window when Andrew had some down-time and his “bodyguard” was out shopping for a computer on the day the duke arrived in New York in April 2001.

Ms Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked for sex by Epstein, has alleged sex took place with Andrew at the billionaire’s home.

The duke has denied staying at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion. Epstein took his own life in jail last year while facing sex trafficking charges.

During his disastrous interview with Newsnight in 2019, Andrew told presenter Emily Maitlis that during the 2001 trip he was staying with the British consul-general in New York, whose home was close to Epstein’s property.

He said about the sex offender’s mansion: “I may have visited but no, definitely didn’t, definitely, definitely no, no, no activity.”

The newspaper claimed well-placed sources said the duke stayed at Epstein’s home on the final night of his visit, but Epstein and Ms Giuffre were not at the property at the time.

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