The allegations against Prince Andrew have been known for years. But now a woman who claims to have been abused by the Queen’s son is serious. For the Royal Family, the case is a tightrope walk.
New York / London – The Jeffrey Epstein abuse scandal in the USA is pulling the British royal family into the limelight with power.
Prince Andrew (61) abused her as a minor, claims the American Virginia Roberts Giuffre – and has now filed a lawsuit in New York against the middle son of Queen Elizabeth II (95). “I blame Prince Andrew for what he did to me,” said the 38-year-old in a statement. She demands compensation from the royal, who has been rejecting the allegations for years, but has withdrawn from his duties because of his friendship with the now deceased Epstein.
Review: Multi-millionaire Epstein is said to have abused dozens of underage girls over the years and forced them into prostitution. According to the prosecution, both employees and his ex-partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently awaiting trial in a New York prison, helped him. Through Maxwell, in turn, Epstein also got to know the Duke of York, as Prince Andrew’s official title is. Giuffre accuses Maxwell of having “trained to be a sex slave”, which the Epstein ex denies.
The allegations against Andrew – once ridiculed as “Randy Andy” by the British press because of his affairs – have long been known. But now they are also preoccupying the judiciary. “In the past five years, Prince Andrew and his advisors have blocked any attempt to settle this matter without litigation,” Giuffres lawyer David Boies told Sky News. “It is long overdue for him to be held accountable.” A spokesman for Andrews refused to comment on the lawsuit.
The indictment from which the newspaper “Daily Mail” quoted on Tuesday is tough. “Like other underage children before and after her, the plaintiff was first recruited to offer Epstein massages and then to carry out a variety of sexual acts,” it says. Giuffre was regularly abused by Epstein and “borrowed” from him. “One such powerful man to whom the plaintiff was loaned for sexual purposes was the defendant Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.”
The brother of the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, has promised to help the responsible investigative authorities – but has not yet given evidence to the New York public prosecutor’s office despite all inquiries. Andrew stayed overnight at Epstein’s property in the United States and the Caribbean on several occasions. He does not want to have heard of the machinations of his friend and his ex-partner Maxwell. Epstein committed suicide in a cell in the summer of 2019.
Plaintiff Giuffre reports three cases in which Andrew abused her. She claims that he knew she was a minor. “The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions,” said Giuffre. “I hope that other victims will realize that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to recapture one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.”
The case is a delicate matter for Andrew and the royal family. After a disastrous BBC interview with which he wanted to restore his reputation, the prince put his royal duties on hold for the time being. His promotion to admiral is also on hold. He has hardly been seen in public for a long time, with the exception of the funeral of his father Prince Philip in April.
It’s a fine line for the Royal Family. The royal family remembered Andrew’s birthday in February: “On that day in 1960, the Queen gave birth to a son, the first child since 1857 by a ruling monarch was brought. ”However, there were no official congratulations. Nevertheless, critics accuse the royal family of double standards: Because the palace is investigating allegations of bullying against Duchess Meghan (40), wife of Queen’s grandson Prince Harry (36). But in the Epstein case – which is increasingly becoming an Andrew case – not a word comes from the palace. dpa
