In a shocking interview with Emily Maitlis for BBC's Newsnight, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, vehemently denied allegations that he had s** with a teenage girl in the London home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
The prince offered a surprising explanation, stating that he was actually at home after attending a children's party at Pizza Express in Woking.
During the interview, Prince Andrew discussed his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was exposed as a child s** offender.
While his account was often rambling and contradictory, the prince insisted that he had not engaged in s**ual activities with any women trafficked by Epstein in any of his properties.
He did admit to flying on Epstein's private jet, known as the Lolita Express, and staying at his various residences.
The prince defended himself by stating, “If you're a man, it is a positive act to have s** with somebody.
You have to…take some sort of positive action and so therefore if you try to forget, it's very difficult to try and forget a positive action and I do not remember anything.”
Regarding Epstein's behavior, Prince Andrew expressed regret, saying, “Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming?
Yes.”
When asked specifically about Virginia Giuffre (formerly known as Virginia Roberts), who claims to have had s** with the prince when she was 17, he categorically denied the allegations.
He stated that on the night in question, he was with his children at a Pizza Express in Woking, as his wife, Sarah Ferguson, was away.
Despite a widely circulated photograph showing the prince with his arm around Giuffre's waist, he claimed to have no recollection of the picture being taken.
He also suggested that the photo was taken in a part of Maxwell's house he never visited, citing his reluctance as a royal family member to engage in public displays of affection.
However, photographs of the prince embracing other women quickly surfaced on social media.
Giuffre took to Twitter to retweet disparaging remarks about the prince, further fueling the controversy surrounding their alleged encounter.
Prince Andrew tried to explain why he hadn't noticed any suspicious activity at Epstein's residences, stating that as a member of the royal family, he was accustomed to staff members constantly being present.
He also claimed that despite his involvement with the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), he had not seen any signs of wrongdoing.
The prince admitted that Epstein had been a guest at Windsor and Sandringham, and he even attended a dinner celebrating Epstein's release from prison.
He stated that he invited Epstein to his daughter Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party the following year, unaware that an arrest warrant had been issued for Epstein.
In 2010, Prince Andrew was photographed walking with Epstein in New York's Central Park, two years after Epstein's first conviction.
When confronted about his association with a “convicted s** offender,” the prince admitted it was the wrong thing to do but claimed he believed it was honorable at the time.
Regarding allegations of young girls entering Epstein's mansion, the prince described it as a place with constant activity, comparing it to a railway station.
Prince Andrew expressed willingness to give a statement under oath if advised to do so by his legal counsel.
Before the interview aired, Gloria Allred, a lawyer representing several of Epstein's victims, suggested that the prince should consider taking an oath and appearing at a deposition.
Prince Andrew acknowledged that his connection to Epstein has caused pain and embarrassment for his family, stating that it has been a constant sore within their lives.
