Prince Andrew files legal papers DENYING all allegations

Prince Andrew comes out fighting: Royal demands a JURY trial as he files legal papers denying all of Virginia Roberts’ sex abuse allegations – and claiming Ghislaine Maxwell was NOT his ‘close friend’ as he faces epic US court battle

• BREAKING: Royal files legal papers denying all of Virginia Roberts allegations
• Prince Andrew’s legal team requested that he be granted a trial by jury in the US 
• The Royal also claimed Ghislaine Maxwell was not a ‘close friend’ in legal papers
• Duke of York’s official rebuttal of the claims comes after a motion to have the case dismissed on a legal technicality in January was denied
• MORE TO FOLLOW 

Prince Andrew’s legal team has filed legal papers in which the Royal denied all of Virginia Roberts’ sex abuse allegations as he prepares for a bitter court battle in the United States.

The papers, filed today by Prince Andrew’s legal counsel Andrew Brettler, contained a detail rebuttal of all of Roberts’ claims and also requested that the Royal be granted a trial by jury.

The Duke of York’s official rebuttal comes after a motion to dismiss the case on a legal technicality at the beginning of January was denied, and could see Prince Andrew himself take the stand in New York to argue his case in front of jurors.

Roberts, who is referred to in case documents by her married name Virginia Giuffre, filed a civil suit against Prince Andrew in August 2021, in which she formally accused the Royal of sexual abuse while she was being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Over 15 pages of court documents filed at New York’s southern district court, Giuffre claimed that the Duke of York ‘committed sexual assault and battery’ against her while she was aged just 17, requesting that a judge award ‘punitive damages’ for the ‘physical and psychological’ injuries she suffered.

Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied all charges.

The Duke of York has also denied that he was ‘close friends’ with socialite and Epstein’s partner in crime Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last month found guilty of five counts of child sex trafficking and faces up to 65 years in prison.

Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell’s townhouse in London, Britain on March 13, 2001. Roberts, who is referred to in case documents by her married name Virginia Giuffre, filed a civil suit against Prince Andrew in August 2021, in which she formally accused the Royal of sexual abuse while she was being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

Prince Andrew’s legal team has filed legal papers in which the Royal denied all of Virginia Roberts’ sex abuse allegations as he prepares for a bitter court battle in the United States (Pictured: Andrew and ex wife Sarah Duchess Of York leaving Royal Lodge on January 22)

Over 15 pages of court documents filed at New York’s southern district court, Roberts, also referred to by her married name Giuffre (pictured in 2019 following a hearing in the Epstein case), claimed that the Duke of York ‘committed sexual assault and battery’ against her while she was aged just 17, requesting that a judge award ‘punitive damages’ for the ‘physical and psychological’ injuries she suffered

The Duke of York’s official rebuttal comes after a motion to dismiss the case on a legal technicality at the beginning of January was denied

The papers, filed today by Prince Andrew’s legal counsel Andrew Brettler (pictured), contained a detail rebuttal of all of Roberts’ claims and also requested that the Royal be granted a trial by jury

The Duke of York’s legal counsel set out the Royal’s official response to Giuffre’s allegations.

It says he denies the allegation that he sexually abused Giuffre when she was under 18 years of age.

The document, submitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, also sets out a series of defences ‘without assuming the burden of proof, and expressly denying any and all wrongdoing’.

The duke submitted 11 reasons why the case should be dismissed, including that Giuffre’s claims are ‘barred by the doctrine of consent’ and by ‘her own wrongful conduct’. 

The documents also included arguments that the claim should be dismissed because Giuffre is a permanent resident of Australia and that by entering into the 2009 agreement with Jeffrey Epstein she ‘waived the claims now asserted in the complaint’.

The papers concluded: ‘Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the Complaint.’

Lawyer David Boies, who is representing Virginia Giuffre in her lawsuit against Andrew, said his client and legal team were anticipating ‘confronting’ the royal about his ‘denials’.

Mr Boies said: ‘Prince Andrew’s Answer continues his approach of denying any knowledge or information concerning the claims against him, and purporting to blame the victim of the abuse for somehow bringing it on herself.

‘We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms Giuffre for her own abuse at his deposition and at trial.’

Prince Andrew has responded to sex assault claims by Virginia Giuffre-Roberts in a new court document. Virginia alleges she was forced to have sex with the royal three times when she was aged 17 by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The first page of the document shows Andrew’s official denial of Giuffre’s claim.

Prince Andrew’s official rebuttal of Giuffre’s claims comes just weeks after The Queen stripped him of his honorary titles, meaning he can no longer be referred to as ‘His Royal Highness’ in any capacity.

Andrew, who remains Duke of York, also loses his military titles and royal patronages ‘with the Queen’s approval and agreement’, Buckingham Palace said in a terse statement that brought his 61 years as a senior royal to a shock end.

The Queen’s decision made on January 13 followed the day after Andrew’s motion to have the case against him dismissed on a legal technicality was unequivocally thrown out by a US judge. 

Judge Lewis Kaplan sensationally dismissed an application from the Duke of York’s lawyers to have the case shut down – freeing Ms Giuffre to pursue her high-profile case in a US court later this year. 

Andrew’s attorneys had unsuccessfully argued that her case should have been thrown out because of a newly-unsealed $500,000 settlement with Jeffrey Epstein.

 Brettler argued the settlement protected Andrew because it contained a clause in which Giuffre agreed not to take legal action against ‘potential defendants’.

But the conclusion of his written ruling, Judge Kaplan said: ‘The defendant’s motion to dismiss the complaint or for a more definite statement is denied in all respects.’

Earlier this month, sources close to the Duke confirmed that he was selling his luxurious chalet in the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Verbier after a mystery buyer agreed to take it off his hands.

Andrew was only able to sell the residence, called Chalet Helora, after settling a £6.6million debt to French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, who sold it to him and Sarah Ferguson in 2014 also for £18million. 

The deal led to speculation that he would use the money to pay his rapidly expanding legal bills as he prepares to battle the lawsuit of Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked to have sex with him by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But Spencer Kuvin, who represented the victims of Epstein, believes the sale could actually be designed to prevent Giuffre from seizing the Duke’s assets.

The lawyer told the Mirror: ‘If Virginia gets a judgment against Andrew, if this went all the way through to trial and she received a financial judgment in her favour, she could execute on any properties he has, the most likely being his ski chalet.

‘If Andrew had properties in any companion country that would abide by such jurisdiction of the US, she can execute on those properties.’

He added: ‘If the Queen has transferred any property to him, anywhere throughout the entire world, they could try and execute on that property if successful in foreign courts.’

Andrew was only able to sell the property (pictured above), called Chalet Helora, after settling a £6.6million debt to French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, who sold it to him and Sarah Ferguson in 2014 also for £18million

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