The Prince Andrew / Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell Thread

[MenInG]

The Duke of York has answered questions about his links to Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, in a BBC interview.

He spoke to BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis in an interview recorded at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

Maitlis said it was a "no holds barred interview", which will be broadcast on BBC Two at 21:00 GMT on Saturday.

The duke faces serious claims over his ties to the 66-year-old US financier, who took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

In 2015, Prince Andrew was named in court papers as part of a US civil case against Epstein.

One of Epstein's accusers, Virginia Roberts - now Virginia Giuffre - said she was forced to have sex with the duke three times between 1999 and 2002, in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.

At the time she was under-age according to Florida state's law.

The details were later officially struck from the court records when a judge ruled they were unnecessary to the case, saying they were "immaterial and impertinent" to the "central claim".


A risky but necessary interview

It's a sign of how bad things are for Prince Andrew and his reputation that he has chosen to give an interview like this. This is not a fireside chat with an old family friend. This is a long, and presumably, forensic interview with one of the BBC's best.

Members of the Royal family give very few interviews; they try to maintain a line between their public lives, which follow an order and a pattern that rarely raise questions, and their private lives, which attract much attention but are ruled out-of-bounds by the Palace.

When they do talk about their private lives, it is generally huge news - Princess Diana damning her marriage and describing her misery, Prince Charles admitting his infidelity, Harry and Meghan speaking of how hard their lives have seemed since the wedding.

The debate over whether Prince Andrew should give an interview will have been long and vigorous. So many questions have been stonewalled for so long, with the Prince's right to privacy given as the reason. By sitting down with the BBC, he has waived that right. It seems like a huge risk. But the Prince and his advisers have judged that the risk of saying nothing is greater.

Separately, a woman called Johanna Sjoberg alleged that the duke touched her breast while they sat on a couch in Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001 in documents from a defamation case.

Buckingham Palace has issued strong denials of all allegations against the duke.

In 2015 a statement said that "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" by the duke was "categorically untrue".

The duke first met Epstein in 1999 and they saw each other on several occasions after that.

In 2005, the parents of a 14-year-old girl told police in Florida that Epstein had molested their daughter at his Palm Beach home.

Prosecutors forged a deal with Epstein in 2008, which saw him avoid federal charges.

He instead received an 18-month prison sentence, during which he was able to go on "work release" to his office for 12 hours a day, six days a week. He was released on probation after 13 months.

In 2010, the duke was photographed walking with Epstein in New York's central park - two years after the financier's first conviction.

Video footage, released by the Mail on Sunday, shows the duke inside Epstein's Manhattan mansion around the same time.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace in August, the duke said he was "appalled" by the sex abuse claims surrounding his former friend.

The statement added: "His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50431163

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I owuld rather he just kept quiet or dismissed the rumours. No British media house is going to do an interview unless it is with a view to protecting the royal family.

 

[sweep_shot]

I feel Andrew is guilty just like Epstein was.

Andrew can try to bury the evidences but there are simply way too many coincidences.

 

[Technics 1210]

Guilty.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Guilty.

Obvious

"In 2010, the duke was photographed walking with Epstein in New York's central park - two years after the financier's first conviction."

You dont connect with people with such convictions unless you need them.

 

[Technics 1210]

Obvious

"In 2010, the duke was photographed walking with Epstein in New York's central park - two years after the financier's first conviction."

You dont connect with people with such convictions unless you need them.

Indeed, and you don't give these sort of interviews if you're innocent either!

 

[KingKhanWC]

Indeed, and you don't give these sort of interviews if you're innocent either!

You also dont stay with the bloke with various women coming in and out, while you peep out and say bye!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rey-Epsteins-63million-mansion-depravity.html

 

[James]

This will just be a whitewash interview to try and stave off the worst of the allegations.

The BBC has enjoyed extremely intimate access to the Royal Family for many years and they would not want to do anything to endanger that status.

I think the majority opinion amongst the general public of what Prince Andrew has (probably) done won’t be change by this interview.

 

[Technics 1210]

This will just be a whitewash interview to try and stave off the worst of the allegations.

The BBC has enjoyed extremely intimate access to the Royal Family for many years and they would not want to do anything to endanger that status.

I think the majority opinion amongst the general public of what Prince Andrew has (probably) done won’t be change by this interview.

Intimate access? It took the BBC 6 months of negotiations to land this interview.

 

[KingKhanWC]

This will just be a whitewash interview to try and stave off the worst of the allegations.

The BBC has enjoyed extremely intimate access to the Royal Family for many years and they would not want to do anything to endanger that status.

I think the majority opinion amongst the general public of what Prince Andrew has (probably) done won’t be change by this interview.

One would of thought the Palace would like to clear the name of any Royal family member. Why haven't they launched legal proceedings against the woman who has made these allegations?

 

[Robert]

A baffling decision to do the interview. Better for him to keep his head down and retire from public life.

 

[KingKhanWC]

A baffling decision to do the interview. Better for him to keep his head down and retire from public life.

Why doesn't he clear his name or do you feel he has something to hide, so instead of ruining the Royal name, keep low and all will be fine?

 

[Robert]

Why doesn't he clear his name or do you feel he has something to hide, so instead of ruining the Royal name, keep low and all will be fine?

There is no way he can come out of this well. At the very minimum he had been shown to have very poor judgement in the company he kept. Anything he says will make it worse.

I don’t think he will ever face charges in the USA though.

 

[sweep_shot]

Epstein, Prince Andrew, Ted Heath, Jimmy Savile, Cyril Smith - I see a pattern.

There are allegations against John Podesta too. Some of the Wikileaks emails have been quite suspicious.

 

[sweep_shot]

The Duke of York has said he "let the side down" by staying at the home of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Answering questions about his links to Epstein for the first time, Prince Andrew said his stay was not "becoming of a member of the Royal Family".

The prince spoke to BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis in an interview recorded at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

It will be broadcast on BBC Two at 21:00 GMT on Saturday.

Prince Andrew has been facing questions for several months over his ties to Epstein, a 66-year-old American financier who took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

In 2010, the prince was photographed walking with Epstein in New York's Central Park - two years after Epstein's first conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Footage published by the Mail on Sunday showed the prince in Epstein's Manhattan mansion around the same time.

Addressing his decision to stay with Epstein following the American's first conviction, Prince Andrew said: "That's the bit that… as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the Royal Family and we try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that."

In 2015, Prince Andrew was named in court papers as part of a US civil case against Epstein.

One of Epstein's accusers, Virginia Roberts - now Virginia Giuffre - said she was forced to have sex with the prince three times between 1999 - when she was 17 - and 2002, in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.

At the time she was under-age according to Florida state law.

In the BBC interview, Emily Maitlis asks the prince about Ms Giuffre's claims that in 2001, she had dined with him, danced with him at a nightclub, and went on to have sex with him at the house of a friend of the prince in Belgravia, central London.

The prince replied: "I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever."

When asked once more whether he remembered meeting Ms Giuffre, the prince said: "No."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50431163.

 

[James]

Intimate access? It took the BBC 6 months of negotiations to land this interview.

They’ve done well to get an interview with him at all.

They got the famous Princess Diana interview with Martin Bashir as well.

And the BBC typically lands the flagship live coverage to every major royal event.

Emily Maitlis is typically used as an attack dog by the BBC against politicians who don’t suit their agenda, but I seriously doubt that her interview of Prince Andrew will be anything remotely resembling such a grilling.

 

[James]

Why haven't they launched legal proceedings against the woman who has made these allegations?

Is the right question!!

 

[Technics 1210]

Prince Andrew breaks silence about relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in Newsnight interview

The Duke of York has admitted that he “let the side down” and damaged the royal family by maintaining his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein even after the billionaire paedophile had been convicted.

Prince Andrew, 59, broke his silence on the Epstein scandal last night to insist that he had no memory of meeting the woman who alleges she was “trafficked” to have sex with him aged 17.

However, the duke admitted that he was wrong to maintain a friendship with the US financier after he was jailed for procuring an under-age girl for prostitution. “I kick myself on a daily basis,” he said.

The prince agreed to a “no-holds-barred” interview with Emily Maitlis, of the BBC, after months of damaging headlines about his ties to Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison cell in August while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. His death was ruled a suicide by the city’s medical examiner.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 36, alleges that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times between 1999 and 2002, on the instructions of Epstein and his friend Ghislaine Maxwell.

“I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever,” Prince Andrew told the BBC, when confronted with her allegation that they had sex in Ms Maxwell’s Belgravia home after dancing at a London nightclub.

The duke said that he should have cut ties with Epstein after his conviction in 2008. The pair had been friends since 1999, regularly holidaying together.

“The problem was the fact that once he had been convicted . . . I stayed with him,” he told Maitlis. “That’s the bit that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family. We try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that.”

The full interview, which was recorded at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, will be broadcast in a special edition of Newsnight on BBC Two at 9pm tonight.

Epstein courted friends including Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, hosting parties on his Caribbean island, where Ms Giuffre claims Prince Andrew took part in an orgy with nine girls. Epstein admitted procurement of minors for prostitution, but a plea deal allowed him to evade sex trafficking charges. He served 13 months in prison.

Jack Scarola, a lawyer for Ms Giuffre, said: “I would love to see Prince Andrew submit to an interview under oath with the investigating authorities. Talking to the media doesn’t quite cut it.”

Last week Ms Giuffre gave an interview to Australian television demanding the duke be prosecuted. “Prince Andrew should go to jail. I mean, is he ever going to? Probably not,” she said on the Nine Network’s 60 Minutes programme.

In a separate interview with the American network NBC, she described the night she claims they first met. “The first time in London, I was so young. Ghislaine [Maxwell] woke me up in the morning and said, ‘You’re gonna meet a prince today’.” She claims that Ms Maxwell told her: “I want you to do for him what you do for Epstein.”

Ms Maxwell has denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Giuffre’s allegations against the prince were included in civil court documents in the United States in 2015. A judge ordered that they be struck from the record, describing them as “immaterial”, but made no ruling on their veracity.

Buckingham Palace has previously said that “any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue” and dismissed allegations that the duke had sex with Ms Giuffre as “false and without foundation”.

Prince Andrew is eighth in line to the throne. He and Sarah Ferguson divorced in 1996 although they remain friends. They have two daughters, Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29.

Securing the world exclusive interview with the duke is a coup for Newsnight. Negotiations with the royal household took six months. The BBC said that there was no advance vetting of questions.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...t-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein-g5sv8zr5g

 

[sweep_shot]

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The Duke of York has "categorically" denied having any sexual contact with an American woman, who says she was forced to have sex with him aged 17.

Answering questions about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a BBC interview, Prince Andrew said the alleged incidents "never happened".

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince three times.

The prince said he was at home with his children on one of the occasions.

Prince Andrew, who is the Queen's third child, has been facing questions for several months over his ties to Epstein, a 66-year-old American financier who took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Virginia Giuffre - then called Virginia Roberts - has said she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew between 2001 - when she was 17 - and 2002, in London, New York and Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, the prince said: "It didn't happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened."

"I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever."

He said Ms Giuffre's account of him "profusely sweating" and "pouring with perspiration" when they danced at the club on the night in 2001 when she says they first had sex was impossible, because he had a medical condition preventing him from perspiring.

In an extraordinary interview, which you can watch in full on BBC iPlayer in the UK or YouTube elsewhere in the world, the duke said:

He had investigations carried out to establish whether a photograph of him with Ms Giuffre was faked, but they were inconclusive
He would testify under oath if "push came to shove" and his lawyers advised him to
He was unaware of an arrest warrant against Epstein when he invited him to Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle
He does not regret his friendship with Epstein because of "the opportunities I was given to learn" from him about trade and business
Speaking out about his relationship with the financier had become almost "a mental health issue" for him
Addressing Ms Giuffre's claims that she had dined with the prince, danced with him at a nightclub, and went on to have sex with him at the house of Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend of the prince, in Belgravia, central London, he said "there are a number of things that are wrong with that story".

He said the date when Ms Giuffre says he had sex with her was 10 March 2001, when he had taken his daughter Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party before spending the night at home.

"Going to Pizza Express in Woking is an unusual thing for me to do," he said. "I remember it weirdly distinctly."

No memory
Ms Giuffre described him providing her with alcohol at a nightclub, but Prince Andrew said: "I don't drink, I don't think I've ever bought a drink in Tramps whenever I was there."

On claims he was sweating, he said: "I have a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time," he said, blaming it on "an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War".

He said he had only started to be able to sweat again "in the recent past".

Asked about a photograph of him and Ms Giuffre being taken at Ghislaine Maxwell's house, he said he had "absolutely no memory" of it.

"Investigations that we've done" have been unable to prove whether the photograph was faked, he said, "because it is a photograph of a photograph of a photograph".

Prince Andrew said he did not recall going upstairs in that house, said he was not dressed as he usually would be if he was in London and added "we can't be certain as to whether or not that's my hand".

"I'm at a loss to explain this particular photograph," he said.

A thick skin
On the further accusation that he had sex with her in New York, the duke denied he was present at Epstein's home that day, although he had been travelling in the US.

He also denied the claim he had sex with her on Epstein's private island with a group of seven or eight other girls. "Absolutely no to all of it," he said.

Prince Andrew said he never suspected Epstein's criminal behaviour on his visits, describing the house as a busy place with staff like Buckingham Palace.

He said: "I live in an institution at Buckingham Palace which has members of staff walking around all the time and I don't wish to appear grand but there were a lot of people who were walking around Jeffrey Epstein's house. As far as I aware, they were staff."

But he denied that there were large numbers of underage girls present and said Epstein "may have changed his behaviour patterns not to be obvious to me".

Asked if he would testify under oath, the duke said: "I'm like everybody else and I will have to take all the legal advice that there was before I was to do that sort of thing. But if push came to shove and the legal advice was to do so, then I would be duty bound to do so."

'The wrong thing to do'
The duke rejected the perception of him as "the party prince" in the past, and said "going to Jeffrey's was not about partying, absolutely not".

He said he had first met Epstein through his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in 1999 but it was a "stretch" to say they were close friends and they saw each other "a maximum of three times a year".

Prince Andrew acknowledged he had stayed on Epstein's private island, visited his home in Palm Beach, Florida, and travelled on his private plane.

He said he wanted to learn more about the "international business world and so that was another reason" for going to visit the 66-year-old American financier in New York, as the prince became special representative for international trade and investment.

He invited Epstein to Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday at Windsor Castle in July 2006 but said "certainly I wasn't aware" that a warrant had been issued in May for his arrest for sex crimes.

But the duke said he ceased contact with Epstein later that year, until 2010.

Epstein was convicted of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008 and received an 18-month prison sentence after prosecutors forged a deal with him.

In July 2010, Epstein was released and in December, Prince Andrew went to visit him in his New York mansion.

Challenged on his decision to stay at the home of a convicted sex offender, he said: "I went there with the sole purpose of saying to him that because he had been convicted, it was inappropriate for us to be seen together."

He stayed several days and attended a dinner party, however. "It was a convenient place to stay," he said, but added "with a benefit of all the hindsight that one can have, it was definitely the wrong thing to do".

The duke denied an account by another guest that he had been seen receiving a foot massage from a Russian woman.

Asked about a picture of him and Epstein taken in Central Park in 2010, Prince Andrew said "somebody very cleverly took that photograph" but that they had not been able to "find any evidence" that Epstein had set it up.

'A sore in the family'
The fallout over Epstein's arrest had been "a constant sore in the family", the prince said.

Following the allegations made against him in a 2015 deposition, Prince Andrew said the wider Royal Family "couldn't be more supportive" and his immediate family "were at a loss".

The duke denied the episode had been damaging to the Queen, but said "it has to me, and it's been a constant drip in the background that people want to know".

He said he would like to be able to give "closure" on the issue but "I'm just as much in the dark as many people".

He said that choosing to talk about the allegations was "almost a mental health issue to some extent for me", adding that "it's been nagging at my mind for a great many years".

Meeting Epstein after his conviction was "the wrong decision and the wrong judgement" but the allegations from Ms Giuffre were "surprising, shocking and a distraction", he said.

But he refused to entirely disavow his relationship with Epstein, saying it had "some seriously beneficial outcomes" that were unrelated to the accusations against them both.

"Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes," he said.

After interviewer Emily Maitlis challenged him, describing Epstein as a sex offender, the duke said: "Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm being polite."

Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview was shown on BBC Two on 16 November 2019 and can be seen on BBC iPlayer in the UK and the full interview can also be seen on YouTube.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50446065.

 

[sweep_shot]

There were three big questions and a whole pile of smaller ones that needed answering in this interview.

On the big three, the Duke of York was pressed time and time again - did he have sex with Virginia Giuffre (then called Virginia Roberts), as she claims? Why did he go back to see (and stay with) Jeffrey Epstein two years after the businessman's conviction and imprisonment for child sex offences? And how did he explain the photograph of him with his arm round the waist of the 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre.

About his visit to New York in 2010 when he stayed at Epstein's house, Prince Andrew was, if not remorseful, then clear that (with hindsight) he had done the wrong thing. He had gone there to tell Epstein that their friendship was over, he said.

He said he did not speak to Epstein once he knew about the 2006 Palm Beach Police investigation into possible child sex offences. Nor did he speak to him or contact him when he was in prison. Then in 2010 he flew to New York and stayed with him - it was more "convenient", he said - for the sole purpose of telling him they could no longer be friends. By this point they had not seen each other for four years.

To have done it by phone would have been "chicken" and he is "too honourable" at times, he said. So, he says, he did the wrong thing for the right reasons. It was pretty much the only time in the interview that he admitted having made any kind of mistake over his 11-year relationship with Epstein.

About the claim by Virginia Giuffre that she slept with the prince three times, there was a categorical denial, alongside a string of reasons why her story did not add up.

She says he bought her a drink in a nightclub; he said he doesn't know where the bar is in that club. She says he was sweating heavily as he danced with her; he says he didn't sweat at all back then because of an obscure medical condition that's now gone away. She says he slept with her; he said he was at home after taking one of his daughters to a party in a pizza restaurant.

He said he didn't remember her, he didn't recollect her and again he absolutely categorically denied sleeping with her.

And the photo of the prince with his arm slipped around Virginia Giuffre's naked midriff? It has plagued Prince Andrew and the palace, undercutting their blunt denials. No recollection, said the prince. No explanation.

Over the past few months, so-called "friends" of the prince have mounted a whispering campaign about the photo trying to undercut its authenticity.

He wouldn't go so far but instead suggested he never wore the kinds of clothes he was wearing in the photo - travelling clothes - when in London, preferring a suit and tie, and that he never went to the upper floor of the house where the photo was taken. He just couldn't remember the photo, he said, and was at a loss to explain where it came from.

There was notably little in the way of apology or remorse in the interview. Aside from that visit to Epstein's house in 2010, Prince Andrew does not think he has done anything wrong.

He does not regret the friendship with Epstein, a man who by many accounts used and abused young girls for many years. It had, he said, "some seriously beneficial outcomes".

In one horrible moment he described Epstein as having behaved "in a manner unbecoming", as if the convicted sex offender had simply passed the port round the wrong way in the regimental mess. He was picked up on that quickly, and apologised. "I'm being polite," Prince Andrew said.

Nothing struck him as suspicious in the various Epstein households that he visited. The Miami Herald has painstakingly put together a picture in Palm Beach of a place where three or four young (14 and 15-year-old) girls might visit a day to give Epstein massages, during which he would sexually abuse many of them.

But the prince was at pains to point out that he didn't know Epstein that well really, he might drop in a few times a year, and he said that Epstein "may have changed his behaviour patterns" so as to cover up his behaviour.

Prince Andrew met Epstein through the businessman's girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell back in 1999. He said he had seen Ms Maxwell in late spring this year.

Did they talk about their one-time friend, Jeffrey Epstein, who had accompanied Ms Maxwell to Windsor Castle and to Sandringham, who had laid his personal jet and houses and holiday island at Prince Andrew's disposal?

No, the prince replied, there was nothing to discuss: "He wasn't in the news. We'd moved on."

Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview was shown on BBC Two on 16 November 2019 and can be seen on BBC iPlayer in the UK and the full interview can also be seen on YouTube.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50448579.

 

[James]

Guilty as sin!!

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Saving face.

 

[Napa]

The life of the British Royal family presented to the public is mostly fiction, like the alleged love story of Prince Charles and Diana, the innocence of Prince Andrew, etc. The public however wants to believe in the fairy tale, as is also seen by the popularity of the recent TV series "The Crown" which has a very flattering image of the Queen.

The Royal family are just like other humans, and given the opportunities they have for vice, it is not surprising they succumb like many others would. The fantasy however should be done away with.

 

[Technics 1210]

His interview has backfired.

Pizza Express? LOL!

 

[Technics 1210]

High-stakes gamble on TV interview over Epstein backfires on Duke of York

If, as many royal observers have claimed, the Duke of York’s decision to submit himself to an Emily Maitlis grilling represented a colossal gamble by a man desperate to make the flow of negative headlines dry up, then it appears he has bet the house on red only for it to come up black.

Prince Andrew’s bizarre defence that he chose to stay at convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s home because it was “convenient” and “honourable” has gone down badly in the court of public opinion.

And now his defence of their relationship and his explanations for where he was on key dates when he is alleged to have had sex with women procured by Epstein has met similar derision.

The prince was confronted about his relationship with the financier: why did he visit him in New York in 2010, despite knowing Epstein had been convicted of sex offences against underage girls? Did he know Epstein was still committing offences against children then? And had he himself had sex at several of Epstein’s houses with Virginia Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, when she was 17? She claims in court papers she was trafficked and forced to have sex with the prince.

He seemed unconcerned by the seriousness of the matter, laughing and smiling at several points during the interview – including when Maitlis reminded him that Epstein was dead – and expressed no regrets or concern about Epstein’s victims.

No, the duke said repeatedly, he had not slept with Roberts. “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”

He later added: “It just never happened”, saying: “I am not one to, as it were, hug, and public displays of affection are not something that I do.”

His relationship with Epstein was based entirely on the fact that he was the boyfriend of the prince’s university friend Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of the late newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. Epstein was “a plus one” who was invited to various royal events. It had been “beneficial” to know him, he told Maitlis, in one of several exchanges that provoked astonishment from viewers.

She asked if he felt any “guilt, regret or shame” about his behaviour or friendship with Epstein.

The prince did not. He said only that it was “the wrong decision to go and see him in 2010”. He went on: “Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes...”

Maitlis interrupted, with visible amazement: “Unbecoming? He was a sex offender.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, I’m being polite – I mean in the sense that he was a sex offender,” the prince replied, before continuing his justification for remainingIt is known that some close to the prince had reservations about how the interview – reportedly the result of six months of negotiations with the royal household – would play out.

Jason Stein, who previously worked for the former work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd, recently quit as an adviser to the prince after less than a month. It is understood he had disagreed with the decision to go ahead with the interview. It is claimed that the prince sought permission from the Queen before giving it, and that she gave her consent early last week.

In the interview, the prince said that with “hindsight” his decision to stay at Epstein’s house was “definitely the wrong thing to do”.

Giuffre’s lawyers did not respond to requests for comment but her Twitter account retweeted a comment from the former editor of the Northern Echo, Peter Barron, who said: “Astonishing decision by the royal family to go ahead with this Prince Andrew confessional interview in the hope it would draw a line under the scandal. It will have the opposite effect.”

It is the first time the prince has answered questions on his relationship with Epstein, who was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August. In 2015, Prince Andrew used a public appearance at Davos in Switzerland to deny the claims. In 2010, he had been photographed walking with Epstein in New York’s Central Park – two years after Epstein’s first conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
in contact with Epstein until 2010.

The prince insisted that, as patron of the NSPCC’s Full Stop campaign, he “knew what the things were to look for” when it came to sexual abuse. But later in the interview, when asked about his time in Epstein’s properties, he said there was “absolutely no indication” that anything was going on. Epstein must have concealed his activities, the prince explained, and suggested that his status as a member of the royal family meant he was used to “members of staff” being around the building.

The prince’s answers are likely to ensure he remains in the headlines for the conceivable future, and several commentators have condemned his approach. Catherine Mayer, founder of the Women’s Equality Party, tweeted that the prince was “too stupid to even pretend concern for Epstein’s victims”.

Charlie Proctor, editor of the Royal Central website, said: “I expected a train wreck. That was a plane crashing into an oil tanker, causing a tsunami, triggering a nuclear explosion level bad.”

Addressing his decision to stay with Epstein following the financier’s conviction in 2008, the prince said: “That’s the bit that … as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family, and we try and uphold the highest standards and practices and I let the side down, simple as that.”

The prince denied his relationship with Epstein had damaged the monarch. “I don’t believe it’s been damaging to the Queen at all – it has to me, and it’s been a constant drip, if you see what I mean.”

Giuffre’s lawyer, Jack Scarola, told Mail Online the prince should agree to an interview “under oath” instead of giving statements to the media that carry “little weight”.

He said: “I believe there is an ongoing investigation in New York by the FBI under the supervision of the US Attorney’s office into those involved in facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.

“I would love to see Prince Andrew submit to an interview under oath with the investigating authorities. Talking to the media doesn’t quite cut it. Statements that are not under oath carry little weight.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...erview-over-epstein-backfires-on-duke-of-york

Oh man, this is news! Sure beats the Brexit bordem! )

 

[James]

“Well I can’t recollect ever meeting a woman with whom I posed for a photograph whilst caressing her bare flesh, but I can on the other hand absolutely remember every minute detail of having dinner with my daughter at an out-of-town branch of Pizza Express 18 years ago.”

 

[Technics 1210]

“Well I can’t recollect ever meeting a woman with whom I posed for a photograph whilst caressing her bare flesh, but I can on the other hand absolutely remember every minute detail of having dinner with my daughter at an out-of-town branch of Pizza Express 18 years ago.”

That was hilarious! What about the part - I do not sweat!

) I hope this story runs for weeks! Where is Spitting Image?????

 

[Technics 1210]

The Times is in on it too!

Prince Andrew interview: I didn’t have sex. I have a pizza alibi

Prince Andrew claimed last night that he had an alibi for the night he had allegedly spent with a “sex slave” in London in 2001: he was taking his daughter Beatrice, then 13, to a pizza party.

The Duke of York said he remembers “weirdly distinctly” taking the princess to a Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, because it was “very unusual” for him to have gone to a high street restaurant chain.

“On that particular day that we now understand is the date, which is the 10th of March, I was at home, I was with the children and I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at I suppose sort of four or five in the afternoon.

“And then, because the duchess was away, we have a simple rule in the family that when one is away the other one is there.”

The restaurant is about 10 miles from Sunninghill Park, the duke’s 665-acre estate, which was sold in 2007 for £15m.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/duke-i-didnt-have-sex-i-have-a-pizza-alibi-5lzctplgw

 

[irfan]

what were the royal advisers doing letting him do this interview, unless they've decided to throw him under the bus to protect and divert attention from something else, even conservative, royalist types are unable to defend him and are questioning his honesty. Massive own goal by the Firm.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

He's lucky Epstein 'committed suicide', imagine if he had been forced to give details about the Prince's conduct in his home and what he got up to.

 

[Technics 1210]

Piers Morgan hits out at ‘toe-curling bulls***’ from Prince Andrew ‘insane’

PIERS MORGAN has launched an astonishing attack against Prince Andrew, lashing out at the “toe-curling bulls***” from the Duke in his BBC Newsnight interview, and labelling his decision to take part in it as “insane”.

Prince Andrew was questioned by journalist Emily Maitlis at Buckingham Palace on Thursday for the BBC Two programme The Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview, which aired this evening. Until now, Andrew - who has strongly denied claims that he had sex with Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre (nee Roberts) when she was 17 - had only released prepared statements through the palace’s media team. Questions about the Duke’s relationship with Epstein resurfaced after the financier was accused of child sex trafficking offences in the US.

“Brilliant forensic dissection by @maitlis - desperate, toe-curling bulls*** from Prince Andrew.

“Why on earth did he do this? Insane.”

The Duke and Epstein had been pictured together after Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail in Florida after admitting a charge of procuring for prostitution a girl below age 18.

He has said he did not "see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction".

Andrew was also pictured with his arm around Mrs Giuffre in London in 2001, when she was 17. She alleges she was coerced into having sex with the royal on three occasions.

Mrs Giuffre claims she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with his rich and famous friends, but her allegations about the Duke were struck from the US court record in 2015 after a judge branded them "immaterial and impertinent".

Read more : https://www.express.co.uk/news/roya...nce-andrew-bbc-interview-newsnight-royal-news

 

[Robert]

That was hilarious! What about the part - I do not sweat!

) I hope this story runs for weeks! Where is Spitting Image?????

Back soon. They will jump all over this.

 

[James]

He's lucky Epstein 'committed suicide', imagine if he had been forced to give details about the Prince's conduct in his home and what he got up to.

Epstein could well have been an MI6 job on this basis. Same as Diana who was allegedly killed by MI5 on the orders of the Duke of Edinburgh. Can’t be having royals and former royals misbehaving out there darling, that would just not be cricket.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Epstein could well have been an MI6 job on this basis. Same as Diana who was allegedly killed by MI5 on the orders of the Duke of Edinburgh. Can’t be having royals and former royals misbehaving out there darling, that would just not be cricket.

This is the serious part. The Royal Family and these meg powerful people will cover their tracks as they have government agencies behind them. Epstein living in jail was a major major threat to all of them, he knew all their secrets.

His interview pretty much gave him up but everything he said was carefully crafted so he wouldnt say anything which could help prove him guilty. Andrew says he didnt really know Epstien but also says he wanted to go see him, stayed at his house to tell him their freindship was over lol.

 

[LongHorn]

He is being called out for his outright lying, and I am yet to find anyone supporting him (apart from Fergie)

However when looking at the bigger picture I cannot help but compare to royals/rich people in a lot of other countries who indulge in pedophilia and are completely protected by the state. And forget about media talking about them, not one person in their country can mention it, and people actually defend them or support their actions.

 

[ElRaja]

im not an expert at body language, but just having seen the first few minutes of this interview two things stand out.

firstly, you normally look up when you remember stuff, hes looking down most of the time..

two, he keeps shaking his head side to side as if to literally disagree with everything he's saying..

both these things last until she asks him if he trusted Epstein, where he looks straight up and nods his head

does it mean anything, who knows, but certainly amusing to study his body language.

 

[Technics 1210]

This is the serious part. The Royal Family and these meg powerful people will cover their tracks as they have government agencies behind them. Epstein living in jail was a major major threat to all of them, he knew all their secrets.

His interview pretty much gave him up but everything he said was carefully crafted so he wouldnt say anything which could help prove him guilty. Andrew says he didnt really know Epstien but also says he wanted to go see him, stayed at his house to tell him their freindship was over lol.

Not only that, his interview is now material for lawyers.

 

[James]

The former Edward VIII had to be exiled later in his life after his links to Hitler and the Nazis came out.... if the Royals are smart (and they often are) then they will also briskly hide away Andrew now before he gets subpoenaed!

 

[Technics 1210]

Prince Andrew stands by 'car-crash' Jeffrey Epstein BBC interview

The Duke of York stands by his decision to take part in an interview about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sources have told the BBC.

People close to Prince Andrew said he wanted to address the issues head-on and did so with "honesty and humility".

It came after the prince's interview with BBC Newsnight on Saturday was described as a "car crash".

In the interview, the prince denied having sex with a then 17-year-old girl - Virginia Giuffre.

Former Buckingham Palace press officer Dickie Arbiter described the interview as "excruciating".

The BBC's royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said the prince was "very damaged" by the interview and the opportunity to clear his name had "failed, badly".

For several months the Duke of York had been facing questions over his ties to Epstein - an American financier who, at the age of 66, took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Prince Andrew "categorically" denied having any sexual contact with Virginia Giuffre known at the time as Virginia Roberts.

The first occasion, she said, took place when she was aged 17.

A lawyer for some of Epstein's alleged victims urged the prince to talk under oath to the US authorities.

Asked about the prince's decision to be interviewed by BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, Mr Arbiter said he thought many questions would be asked in Buckingham Palace.

He said: "They will be wondering: Was this the right decision? Was the right decision made? Who made the decision to put him on? Did he make it himself or did he seek advice within the Palace?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50450207

 

[barah_admi]

I was worried Maitlis would not be persistent, honest or strong enough to deal with this interview and in all honesty, she was no. Why was there a solid 10 minutes given to him talking absolute nonsense bout his NSPCC work (oh the irony)? Why did she move on from questions which clearly were not answered? She should have pushed like Frost or Parkinson may have done 40 years earlier. Even with this lightweight, Andrew utterly stitched himself up:

"I had intense adrenaline during the Falklands war....its why I can not sweat" (Falklands was early 80s, the meeting with Roberts was 2001)

"I don't even know where this bar is (Tramp)" - a single sentence later "I don't think I have ever bought a drink there"

"I was never a close friend" .... yet felt the need to travel 3000 miles to break up his friendship, which wasnt close at all and then stayed with him for 4 days.

"That is me in the picture....that is not my arm"

I am not sure where he goes from here? He will not be prosecuted but I hope this once again pushes the royal family towards extinction.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sky News confirms Prince Andrew's PR adviser Jason Stein resigned over the Duke's decision to agree to the interview with the BBC</p>— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsBreak/status/1196038084795781120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[sweep_shot]

I don't know what Andrew was thinking when he decided to be interviewed. He thinks people are stupid or something.

He should've prepared better.

 

[Robert]

The former Edward VIII had to be exiled later in his life after his links to Hitler and the Nazis came out.... if the Royals are smart (and they often are) then they will also briskly hide away Andrew now before he gets subpoenaed!

I doubt that the US Justice Department would seek to extradite a senior Royal.

But if he ever goes to the USA again he risks arrest as an accessory to Epstein's crimes.

Damage control for the Royals now - he should remove his patronage of all charities, never stand in any further parades and retire from public life altogether.

 

[Captain caveman]

I doubt that the US Justice Department would seek to extradite a senior Royal.

But if he ever goes to the USA again he risks arrest as an accessory to Epstein's crimes.

Damage control for the Royals now - he should remove his patronage of all charities, never stand in any further parades and retire from public life altogether.

Or he can go to the US and proof his innocence like he claims.

 

[irfan]

Or he can go to the US and proof his innocence like he claims.

to prove his innocence the so called authorities have to firstly lay charges against him backed up by some sort of evidence.

 

[Technics 1210]

Prince Andrew is getting gunned on radio, and the newspapers are having a field day!

You know it's a great day when James O'Brien on LBC is not ranting on about Brexit! )

 

[Captain caveman]

to prove his innocence the so called authorities have to firstly lay charges against him backed up by some sort of evidence.

Legally yes!
But has he not been accused by someone, of something?
Should he not respond, and protect his good name?

 

[irfan]

oh dear it gets worse for Andy, he used the n word, however this was a few years ago and used part of a phrase rather than directed to an individual so honestly imo a non story.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/...n-silva-accuses-duke-of-york-of-a4289516.html

 

[MenInG]

The Duke of York is "utterly lacking in compassion" for the victims of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Those are the words from a lawyer acting for five of those victims a day after Prince Andrew spoke publicly for the first time about allegations surrounding his friendship with the disgraced American.

The Duke of York was interviewed on BBC's Newsnight about his links to the convicted paedophile, who died in prison earlier this year, and allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl.

But his efforts to justify the friendship with Epstein and to deny knowledge of Epstein's illegal activities were labelled "disastrous", with one public relations expert comparing the interview to "watching a man in quick sand".

Lisa Bloom, representing five of Epstein's victims, said the interview was "deeply disappointing".

Prince Andrew has spoken publicly for the first time about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying he "let the side down" as a member of the Royal Family.

Andrew: It might not be my hand in photo
She told Sky News that Epstein's victims were "very disturbed by all those who were around Jeffrey Epstein who don't seem to get it".

"He seems utterly lacking in the compassion and the astonishment that the rest of the world has felt after hearing from Jeffrey Epstein's victims."

Giuffre, who says she was trafficked by Epstein as a teenager and forced to have sex with his friends.

Ms Roberts-Giuffre claims she and Prince Andrew dined and danced together at a nightclub in London before having sex. He denies ever having met her.

Sky News looks at the people caught up in Epstein's web

The duke travelled to Epstein's mansion in New York in 2010 after Epstein's release from jail, saying he intended to break off their friendship.

But he has been criticised for staying at the mansion for what was reported to have been four days.

He said: "It was a convenient place to stay... at the end of the day, with a benefit of all the hindsight that one can have, it was definitely the wrong thing to do but at the time I felt it was the honourable and right thing to do."

Ms Bloom told Sky News: "Many of his answers just give rise to additional questions because they make no sense.

"Why would you think it's honourable to go visit a convicted sex offender in his home for four days?

"Why you don't regret meeting him because he introduced you to people - when you're a member of the Royal Family, you can meet anyone you want in the entire world.

"So I think these additional questions need answering by way of an FBI investigation or any other investigation that will get to the bottom of what Prince Andrew knew, when he knew it and what he is accused of doing."

Despite criticism of the interview, the BBC reported that sources told them the duke was standing by his decision to be interviewed.

https://news.sky.com/story/duke-of-york-lacking-in-compassion-for-epsteins-victims-11863840

 

[MenInG]

The Duke of York should apologise for his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a lawyer for the convicted sex offender's accusers has said.

Spencer Kuvin, who represents several unnamed alleged victims, said "royalty has failed them".

He called Prince Andrew's interview with BBC Newsnight on Saturday "sad" and "depressing".

The prince has stood by his decision to take part, despite critics describing it as a "car crash".

On Monday, Mr Kuvin told the Today programme: "It was depressing that he [Prince Andrew] really did not acknowledge the breadth of his friendship with this despicable man and apologise.

"The mere fact that he was friends with a convicted sex offender and chose to continue his relationship with him - it just shows a lack of acknowledgement of the breadth of what this man [Epstein] did to these girls."

Prince Andrew told the BBC he never suspected Epstein's criminal behaviour during visits to the US financier's three homes.

But Mr Kuvin said he "did not think there was any way" the prince could have avoided seeing what was going on, "with young girls being shuttled in and out of those homes".

Mr Kuvin said the focus of Epstein's accusers had now turned to potential co-conspirators.

It has led to questions being asked about what role Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, may have played in procuring underage girls for the financier.

Ms Maxwell denies any wrongdoing.

Prince Andrew is now facing renewed calls to tell US authorities about his friendship with Epstein - who, at the age of 66, took his own life while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in the US.

Lisa Bloom - who represents five other Epstein accusers - told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I think he's made things worse for himself in this interview and I think it's more likely the authorities are going to want to speak to him now - and they should want to."

Gloria Allred - another lawyer, also representing one of Epstein's accusers - told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "Now he's been in the court of public opinion, he should testify to the FBI."

She added: "I don't see how he could have not known that there were underage girls - minors.

"Because he did visit homes of Mr Epstein in New York, in Palm Beach, in the Virgin Islands; and I happen to know there were underage girls in all of those locations.

"So, why didn't he ask the questions: Where are your parents, are you in school, why aren't you in school, are you living here, are you working here, what kind of job do you have, what do you do, why are you here?"

Six things we learned from Prince Andrew interview
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
Meanwhile, Labour's shadow trade secretary, Barry Gardiner, said Prince Andrew should do whatever he can to help Epstein's victims.

He said: "By saying what he knows of the time that he spent with his former friend, can only be the right thing to do."

In the Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew said he will testify under oath "if push came to shove" and his lawyers advised him to.

It comes as the prince continues to face heavy criticism for the interview, which many commentators branded a PR disaster.

In it, Prince Andrew "categorically" denied having any sexual contact with Virginia Giuffre, known at the time as Virginia Roberts.

The first occasion, she said, took place when she was aged 17.

People close to Prince Andrew said he wanted to address the issues head-on and did so with "honesty and humility" in speaking to BBC Newsnight.

In a lengthy interview, which UK viewers can watch in full on BBC iPlayer or on YouTube elsewhere in the world, the prince said that:

On the date Virginia Giuffre says he had sex with her - 10 March, 2001, he had taken his daughter to Pizza Express in Woking for a party before spending the night at home
He dismissed claims he was sweating profusely because he had a "peculiar medical condition" meaning he cannot sweat, caused by an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War
He had commissioned investigations into whether a photograph of him with Ms Giuffre had been faked, but they were inconclusive
Speaking out about his relationship with the financier had become almost "a mental health issue" for him
He would testify under oath about his relationship with Ms Giuffre if "push came to shove", and his lawyers advised him to
He was unaware of an arrest warrant against Epstein when he invited the financier to Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle
He did not regret his friendship with Epstein because of "the opportunities I was given to learn" from him about trade and business

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50457622

 

[sweep_shot]

KPMG has not renewed its sponsorship of the Duke of York's entrepreneurship initiative, Pitch@Palace.

The accountancy firm is thought to have made the decision at the end of October.

The controversy over the prince's ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is understood to have been one reason behind the decision.

The revelation follows Prince Andrew's appearance on BBC Newsnight in what critics called a "car-crash" interview.

In the interview, the Queen's third child said he still did not regret his friendship with US financier Epstein - who took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in the US.

The BBC has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment regarding KPMG's decision.

The accountancy and auditing firm - which is not the only company associated with Pitch@Palace - declined to comment.

The scheme was founded by the prince in 2014 and involves entrepreneurs competing for the chance to pitch their business ideas to influential business figures.

The project operates in 64 countries and claims to have created more than 6,300 jobs.

Meanwhile, University of Huddersfield students passed a motion on Monday evening to lobby the prince to resign as the university's chancellor.

The university itself said Prince Andrew's "enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship" was a "natural fit" with its work.

The Outward Bound Trust, of which the prince is patron, said it would hold a special board meeting over the next few days for members to discuss "the issues raised" by the interview.

Amid the backlash from the BBC's interview on Saturday, Prince Andrew is facing renewed calls to tell US authorities about his friendship with Epstein.

The prince said he would testify under oath "if push came to shove" and his lawyers advised him to.

Lawyer Gloria Allred - who has called on the Duke of York to make a statement - said an anonymous client had filed a civil lawsuit against Epstein's estate.

The alleged victim said: "I would also like to say I agree with Gloria that Prince Andrew, and any others that are close to Epstein, should come forward and give a statement under oath on what information they have."

In his BBC interview, Prince Andrew also "categorically" denied having any sexual contact with an American woman, who says she was forced to have sex with him aged 17.

Virginia Giuffre - one of Epstein's accusers, previously known as Virginia Roberts - claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince three times.

Responding to the allegation, the prince said: "I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever."

He added Ms Giuffre's account of him "profusely sweating" and "pouring with perspiration" when they danced at the club on the night in 2001 when she says they first had sex was impossible, because he had a medical condition preventing him from perspiring.

People close to Prince Andrew said he wanted to address the issues head-on and did so with "honesty and humility" in speaking to Newsnight.

'Precarious position'
Jonathan Turley, law professor at George Washington University, said it was "likely" the prince would receive a legal summons if he went to the US and lawyers representing alleged victims managed to access him.

"There are a lot of these lawyers who would love to hand Prince Andrew a subpoena [an order to give evidence]," he told the BBC.

But Prof Turley added the duke would have diplomatic immunity if he was in the US as part of a royal - rather than personal - engagement.

"This interview [has] put him in a rather precarious position if he plans to visit the United States any time soon," he added.

The prince has stood by his decision to speak out, but former Buckingham Palace press officer Dickie Arbiter described the interview as "excruciating".

And BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said the prince was "very damaged" by the interview, adding the attempt to clear his name had "failed, badly".

A lawyer for several of Epstein's accusers described the interview as "sad" and "depressing".

Spencer Kuvin, who represents several unnamed alleged victims, said "royalty has failed them".

"The mere fact that he was friends with a convicted sex offender and chose to continue his relationship with him - it just shows a lack of acknowledgement of the breadth of what this man [Epstein] did to these girls," Mr Kuvin said.

The prince said he visited Epstein in 2010, after he was released from jail, to tell him their friendship was over. He said that was the last contact he ever had with him.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50467019.

 

[Robert]

Or he can go to the US and proof his innocence like he claims.

One does not prove innocence. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the state. I think the Duke would be well advised to not give the US state the chance.

 

[James]

New Epstein files will be released in the US before the end of the year, according to the Telegraph - and they don’t make comfortable reading for the Duke.

 

[MenInG]

Standard Chartered has become the second corporate partner to sever ties with the Duke of York's business mentoring initiative, Pitch@Palace.

Spoiler

The bank joined accountancy firm KPMG in pulling support for the scheme.

It said it was not renewing its sponsorship for "commercial reasons".

Several businesses and universities are reviewing their association with Prince Andrew following a BBC interview about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In the interview, the Queen's third child said he still did not regret his friendship with US financier Epstein - who took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in the US.

In addition to Standard Chartered and KPMG ending their support for Pitch@Palace:

Pharmaceuticals company AstraZeneca and Hult International Business School are reviewing their partnerships with the business scheme
Outward Bound, the charity the Duke of Edinburgh was patron of for 65 years, has called a board meeting to discuss the prince's patronage
London Metropolitan University said it will consider the prince's role as its patron, saying it "opposes all forms of discrimination, abuse and human trafficking"
University of Huddersfield students are calling for the prince to be sacked as their chancellor
On Monday, the Huddersfield students' union panel passed a motion to lobby the prince to resign as their chancellor.

The university has since said that it listens to its students' views and will "now be consulting with them over the coming weeks".

The duke has stood by his decision to speak out, after critics labelled the interview a "car crash".

But speaking on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on Tuesday, Huddersfield student Tristan Smith criticised the prince over his friendship with Epstein.

He accused Prince Andrew of "trying to dismiss" the row and failing to recognise Epstein's victims.

Meanwhile, a woman who has accused Epstein of sexually abusing her as a 15-year-old has urged Prince Andrew to share information about his former friend.

The accuser, identified as "Jane Doe 15", did not accuse Prince Andrew of any wrongdoing but called on him and others to come forward and give a statement under oath.

Elsewhere, former home secretary Jacqui Smith alleged that Prince Andrew made racist comments to her during a state dinner.

"I have to say the conversation left us slack-jawed with the things that he felt it was appropriate to say," she told the LBC election podcast.

And Rohan Silva, who was an adviser to former prime minister David Cameron, also accused the prince of using a racial slur in his presence.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman strenuously denied the claims, adding that Prince Andrew "does not tolerate racism in any form".

'Human tragedy'
There was also further reaction to the prince's BBC appearance.

Actress Rose McGowan - one of the most prominent figures of the #MeToo movement - told the Victoria Derbyshire programme she thought it was not a truthful interview.

"It's also certainly not the mark of someone who is an empathetic character who cares about victims in any way," she added.

The actress also said she wished more questions had been asked about Epstein's alleged victims.

"We can't forget there is human tragedy behind this... This has serious repercussions, serious ramifications and serious pain that is involved in this story."

However, Alastair Campbell - Tony Blair's ex-communications chief - said that although he thought the interview was a "mistake", it was not "as bad as it is now being defined".

Mr Campbell, who was another high-profile Briton to be named in Epstein's 97-page "black book" of contacts, also told the Today programme that he met the financier on a visit to the US for a funeral and found him to be "a bit creepy".

ANALYSIS: 'Little apology or remorse'
TRANSCRIPT: Read Prince Andrew's interview in full
AS IT HAPPENED: Newsnight interview
REACTION: Prince Andrew 'bulldozed' into interview
Prince Andrew's BBC interview followed allegations by Virginia Giuffre, known at the time as Virginia Roberts, who claims the prince had sex with her on three occasions - the first when she was aged 17.

Prince Andrew "categorically" denied having had sexual contact with her.

In an extraordinary interview, which you can watch in full on BBC iPlayer in the UK or YouTube elsewhere in the world, the duke said:

He had investigations carried out to establish whether a photograph of him with Ms Giuffre was faked, but they were inconclusive
He would testify under oath if "push came to shove" and his lawyers advised him to
He was unaware of an arrest warrant against Epstein when he invited him to Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle
He does not regret his friendship with Epstein because of "the opportunities I was given to learn" from him about trade and business
Speaking out about his relationship with the financier had become almost "a mental health issue" for him

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50470890

 

[Technics 1210]

I'm still trying to figure out how on earth did the Queen grant permission for this interview? 70+ years as head of state and her approval was the best wisdom?

 

[MenInG]

A letter written to the Times newspaper by Buckingham Palace has cast doubt on when the Duke of York first met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The 2011 letter says they met in the early 1990s, not in 1999 as Prince Andrew said in his BBC interview.

It comes as the duke faces a growing backlash after he said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein.

Buckingham Palace said the prince's words speak for themselves and he stands by his recollection of events.

Spoiler

Writing to the Times in March 2011, the duke's then private secretary Alastair Watson aimed to address "widespread comment" about the relationship with the New York financier, who died in prison this year awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

He said Prince Andrew had known Epstein "since being introduced to him in the early 1990s", but dismissed the "insinuations and innuendos" as "without foundation".

But in his interview with the BBC's Newsnight on Saturday, the duke said they "met through his girlfriend back in 1999" - a reference to Ghislaine Maxwell, who had been a friend of Prince Andrew since she was at university.

The 2011 letter was published after the Times reported on the existence of a photo of the prince with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, then known as Roberts, who would later testify that she had been forced to have sex with him. The duke has always denied any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.

BT has become the latest in a series of organisations to distance themselves from Prince Andrew since the interview was broadcast.

In a statement, BT said it had been working with iDEA - which helps people develop digital, business and employment skills - since 2017 but "our dealings have been with its executive directors not its patron, the Duke of York".

"In light of recent developments we are reviewing our relationship with the organisation and hope that we might be able to work further with them, in the event of a change in their patronage," a spokeswoman said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50487104

 

[MenInG]

BT says it will stop sponsoring an award fronted by Prince Andrew if he does not step down as patron.

It follows the Duke of York's interview about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Spoiler

Telecoms giant BT was a corporate sponsor of the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA), which develops workplace skills. Prince Andrew is the patron and the award's website links to the duke's own site.

BT told Sky News it was "reviewing" its relationship and may continue its work "in the event of a change in their patronage".

it comes as three Australian universities joined the list of organisations distancing themselves from Prince Andrew.

KPMG and Standard Chartered this week ended their sponsorship of the duke's Pitch@Palace initiative - a Dragon's Den-style event where entrepreneurs meet investors and mentors to boost their company.

Bond University, the University of Wollongong (UoW) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), who are listed as partners on its website, have also now either ended their relationships with Pitch@Palace Australia or will not be continuing it in the future.

A spokesman for Perth's Murdoch University, which is also listed online as a partner, said it was reviewing its support ahead of 2020.

Pitch@Palace Australia did not respond to queries about its ongoing operation after the latest breakaways. On Monday, Buckingham Palace had confirmed that the Pitch@Palace initiative would continue.

In the UK, a number of other UK universities are considering their positions over ties with the Duke of York.

In a statement, BT said: "We have been working with the company since its launch in 2017 and our dealings have been with its executive directors not its patron, the Duke of York.

"As a leading provider of online digital skills training, iDEA was a natural partner for our new Skills for Tomorrow programme.

"However in light of recent developments we are reviewing our relationship with the organisation and hope that we might be able to work further with them, in the event of a change in their patronage."

During the interview on BBC's Newsnight, Prince Andrew did not show remorse over his friendship with the paedophile who died in prison earlier this year.

Billionaire Epstein was awaiting trial accused of trafficking girls as young as 14 for sex and had previously served time in prison in 2008 for prostituting underage girls.

In the interview, the Queen's son said that Epstein's house had been "a convenient place to stay" in 2010 when he went to end their friendship.

A Sky News poll found that just 6% of the public believe Prince Andrew's explanation of the friendship.

He also denied he had met Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, who claimed she had been trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with a number of his associates, including Prince Andrew, when she was 17.

The duke strongly denies any accusations of wrongdoing, but US lawyers for Epstein's victims are urging Prince Andrew to tell US officials what he knows.

Lady Victoria Hervey, who once dated the duke, has admitted she felt like she was being watched by "hidden cameras" when she stayed at Epstein's apartment in New York.

The socialite told Good Morning Britain: "I did feel very uncomfortable staying there at the time. I cut my trip short, I felt like I was being watched, like there were cameras, hidden cameras.

"I left after about 10 days or so and moved in with a friend of mine."

She defended the prince, saying she thought on watching his interview: "There is no way if he is guilty that he would go onto television and do an interview like that. There's no way.

"I think the public already made their decision a long time ago and thought he was guilty... he didn't really give the public what they wanted in respect to, you know, actually having any kind of remorse about these girls and things.

"That's why there has been a backlash."

Late on Monday evening, another woman came forward claiming to be one of Epstein's victims, and encouraged Prince Andrew to speak to US police.

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-a...with-duke-after-epstein-tv-interview-11865413

 

[KingKhanWC]

I doubt that the US Justice Department would seek to extradite a senior Royal.

But if he ever goes to the USA again he risks arrest as an accessory to Epstein's crimes.

Damage control for the Royals now - he should remove his patronage of all charities, never stand in any further parades and retire from public life altogether.

The bloke is a suspected pedo. Surely you would want justice for the victime instead of 'damage control' for the Royals?

 

[Technics 1210]

Prince Andrew stepping back from royal duties

The Duke of York says he is stepping back from royal duties because the Jeffrey Epstein scandal has become a "major disruption" to the Royal Family.

Prince Andrew, 59, said he had asked the Queen for permission to withdraw for the "foreseeable future".

He said he deeply sympathised with sex offender Epstein's victims and everyone who "wants some form of closure".

The duke has faced a growing backlash following a BBC interview about his friendship with the US financier.

In a statement, he said: "I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.

"His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.

"I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives."

He added that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50496539

This is HUGE!!!!!

 

[KingKhanWC]

"He added that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

This wont happen. He is just buying time hoping this will all go away. It all depends on the US justice system and how strong it is in continuing the investigation.

 

[barah_admi]

"He added that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

This wont happen. He is just buying time hoping this will all go away. It all depends on the US justice system and how strong it is in continuing the investigation.

The US justice system will brush Epstein's murder under the rung, prosecute a few low level thugs or place all the blame on Epstein and the likes of Trump, Andrew and Ghislaine will walk free.

 

[Markhor]

Think amidst this talk of PR gaffes and dents to reputation that we should spare a thought for the victims of this sleazy individual Epstein and his good mate Prince Andrew.

His alibi was laughable and without credibility, it made for a car crash interview.

 

[KingKhanWC]

The US justice system will brush Epstein's murder under the rung, prosecute a few low level thugs or place all the blame on Epstein and the likes of Trump, Andrew and Ghislaine will walk free.

For sure esp because Trump was a close friend of Epstein too, unless the impeachment doesn't go ahead and the powers that be need another way to kick him out.

I feel if the full details emerge it will shock the world and many people who bow down to these celebs and hail them as great people.

 

[MenInG]

Prince Andrew is stepping back from public duties for the "foreseeable future" over his links to billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duke of York said he "deeply sympathises" with the victims of the disgraced financier and is "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

His announcement comes days after the prince's widely-criticised TV interview which saw Andrew accused of "utterly lacking in compassion" for the victims of Epstein, who killed himself earlier this year.

In a statement released on his parents' 72nd wedding anniversary, the duke said: "It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.

"Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.

"I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.

"His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.

"I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency."

Following the duke's statement, Sky's royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said it was "extraordinary" to have a senior member of the Royal Family stepping back from public duties.

"The interview was meant to shut down the noise around this scandal but instead it has blown up around them," she said.

"You saw a prince unravelling, you saw a prince who came across as arrogant and out of touch.

"They wanted him to come across as a man with guts and bravery, and that simply did not come across in what became an enormous news moment over the weekend."



Andrew was accused of failing to show remorse over his friendship with paedophile Epstein, who was found hanged in prison in August.

Epstein was awaiting trial accused of trafficking girls as young as 14 for sex and had previously served time in prison in 2008 for prostituting underage girls.

The disgraced financier's suicide has led to a renewed focus on his circle of friends and associates

In his interview with Newsnight, Andrew claimed was "convenient " for him to stay at Epstein's house in 2010 and he thought it was "the honourable and right thing to do" after visiting to end their friendship.

He also said he had "no recollection" of meeting Virginia Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with a number of his associates, including Andrew, when she was 17.

The Duke said he was in Pizza Express in Woking on a night he is accused of having sex with Ms Giuffre - and suggested a photo of them together may have been doctored.

Ms Giuffre said the same alleged sexual liaison began with the duke sweating heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp - but the duke insisted he had a medical condition at the time which meant he did not sweat.

A Sky News poll found that just 6% of the public believed Andrew's explanation of his friendship with Epstein.

Lisa Bloom, representing five of Epstein's victims, said of Andrew: "He seems utterly lacking in the compassion and the astonishment that the rest of the world has felt after hearing from Jeffrey Epstein's victims."

Firms including telecoms giant BT and bank Barclays are among a number of multimillion-pound businesses, universities and charities which have since distanced themselves from the royal.

Meanwhile, a woman who claims to have been trafficked and abused by Epstein has called on Andrew to speak to US law officials.

The unidentified woman known as Jane Doe 15 says she was one of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims

The unnamed woman did not make allegations against Andrew directly, but said the Duke and "any others who are close to Epstein should come forward and give a statement under oath on what information they have".

Following the duke's announcement, royal commentator Alastair Bruce said the "right decision had been taken for the Queen to get on as the Duke, himself says, was causing a distraction".

He told Sky News: "What the public opinion is matters greatly to a constitutional monarchy that exists by the will of the people."

Social historian Professor Judith Rowbotham compared the developments to the abdication of Edward VIII, saying: "It could have escalated into a more major crisis if the Duke of York had not done the honourable thing."


https://news.sky.com/story/prince-andrew-steps-back-from-public-duties-11865854

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A statement by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG. <a href="https://t.co/LfMFwMyhcb">pic.twitter.com/LfMFwMyhcb</a></p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1197213153852977153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[barah_admi]

For sure esp because Trump was a close friend of Epstein too, unless the impeachment doesn't go ahead and the powers that be need another way to kick him out.

I feel if the full details emerge it will shock the world and many people who bow down to these celebs and hail them as great people.

It just won't happen. The great sadness of this liberal world.

 

[The Viper]

Prince Andrew stepping back from royal duties

The Duke of York says he is stepping back from royal duties because the Jeffrey Epstein scandal has become a "major disruption" to the Royal Family.

Prince Andrew, 59, said he had asked the Queen for permission to withdraw for the "foreseeable future".

He said he deeply sympathised with sex offender Epstein's victims and everyone who "wants some form of closure".

The duke has faced a growing backlash following a BBC interview about his friendship with the US financier.

Companies he has links with, such as BT and Barclays, have joined universities and charities in distancing themselves from him.

For several months the duke had been facing questions over his ties to Epstein, who took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince three times. The duke has always denied any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.

His latest move, described by Buckingham Palace as "a personal decision", was taken following discussions with the Queen and Prince Charles.

In a statement, the duke said: "I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.

"His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.

"I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives."

He added that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph said his latest statement was "completely different in tone" to his recent TV interview and had "addressed all the issues that he'd been criticised for", including offering sympathy to Epstein's victims.

She described his decision to step back as a "drastic" move but said "the rumours that had been circulating had been really difficult for the Royal Family to manage".

In his interview with the BBC's Newsnight on Saturday, the duke said the "opportunities I was given to learn" about business meant he did not regret the friendship with Epstein, although he said meeting him for a final time in 2010 was "the wrong decision".

The duke said he could not recall ever meeting Virginia Giuffre, then known as Roberts, and said that on the night she claims they first met that he went to Pizza Express in Woking and then returned home.

He sought to cast doubt on her testimony claiming that he was "profusely sweating" in a nightclub, saying that a medical condition at the time meant he could not perspire.

He said he had met Epstein "through his girlfriend back in 1999" - a reference to Ghislaine Maxwell, who had been a friend of Prince Andrew since she was at university.

Since the interview, a letter written in 2011 to the Times newspaper by Buckingham Palace has emerged, saying they met in the early 1990s.

This is without precedent in modern times. Prince Andrew's public life is over for now. The statement says the withdrawal is "for the foreseeable future". But it's hard to see what will bring him back.

The interview is almost universally seen as a mistake. It was a disaster. But it may have seemed a good idea at the time.

BBC Panorama has been digging into Virginia Roberts Giuffre's allegations and is going to air soon. That will have added to the pressure, alongside legal efforts in New York to have more Epstein-related papers released.

There's talk of a lack of grip at the Palace, but Buckingham Palace is not like a company or a government department, with reporting lines and a chain of command. For centuries princes have gone their own way.

There are lots of questions - about money, titles, military commands, patronages, about how this might speed reform, and of course about whether Prince Andrew still has a part to play in helping with investigations into Epstein, and helping Epstein's victims find answers.

But right now the humiliation is complete. Born into the public eye, Prince Andrew has had to retreat into a private life.

And the monarchy is shaken.

Former Buckingham Palace press officer Dickie Arbiter told the BBC News Channel that the prince's position had become "untenable" and the only surprise was that it took so long, adding "there was no other direction he could go".

However, he said the prince was "not out of the woods yet" as the FBI and lawyers for some of Epstein's alleged victims wanted to talk to him under oath.

The duke's website says he carries out official duties for the Queen, focusing on promoting economic growth and skilled job creation.

Over the past two months he has carried out overseas engagements in Australia, United Arab Emirates and Thailand.

The prince's announcement means he won't be carrying out public engagements, but he will still attend Royal Family events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday.

Duke ties cut
BT became the latest in a series of organisations to distance themselves from Prince Andrew "in light of recent developments".

In a statement, the firm said it had been working with iDEA - which helps people develop digital, business and employment skills - since 2017 but "our dealings have been with its executive directors not its patron, the Duke of York".

"We are reviewing our relationship with the organisation and hope that we might be able to work further with them, in the event of a change in their patronage," a spokeswoman said.

Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG also announced they were withdrawing support for the duke's business mentoring initiative Pitch@Palace. Sources told the BBC the decisions were made before the interview.

Four Australian universities also said they would not be continuing their involvement in Pitch@Palace Australia.

Prince Andrew cancelled a planned visit to flood-hit areas of Yorkshire on Tuesday, the Sun newspaper reported.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50496539

 

[James]

The Telegraph has been quite predictive and reliable on this particular story so far. This morning they are reporting that a US subpoena will be issued to Andrew before the end of this month, and that the Royal Family have already been politely made aware of this ahead of time - hence the Prince’s hasty de facto resignation yesterday.

 

[imrankhannsu]

The man's in trouble. He should have listened to his PR guy who told him not to do the BBC interview. Then the PR guy left after Andrews decision

 

[in_cutter]

Makes my skin crawl. Urgh

 

[Technics 1210]

Just a reminder, Prince Andrew has not broken any law.

 

[Robert]

The Telegraph has been quite predictive and reliable on this particular story so far. This morning they are reporting that a US subpoena will be issued to Andrew before the end of this month, and that the Royal Family have already been politely made aware of this ahead of time - hence the Prince’s hasty de facto resignation yesterday.

He doesn’t have to cooperate with a putative subpoena of course, unless an extradition is attempted.

Think of that. The US DoJ attempting to extradite the Queen’s son.

 

[Technics 1210]

He doesn’t have to cooperate with a putative subpoena of course, unless an extradition is attempted.

Think of that. The US DoJ attempting to extradite the Queen’s son.

If that happened then it would only propel Trump into super-stardom! Can't subpoena Trump, but can subpoena the Queen's son!

 

[The Viper]

Prince Andrew could be handed a summons to face Epstein questions

A lawyer representing some of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims raises the possibility of questioning the royal under oath.

The Duke of York has resigned from another position as part of his decision to step back from royal duties.

The Outward Bound Trust has accepted his resignation, saying they thanked him for "his support over many years".

It follows the University of Huddersfield confirming that Prince Andrew will no longer serve as chancellor.

Prince Andrew was seen in public earlier today, leaving his house the Royal Lodge, in Windsor.

It was the first time he has been spotted since his decision to stand down from his positions, following the widely criticised TV interview over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Other members of the Royal Family continued their duties on Thursday, including the Queen who awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace to a senior police officer who led the UK response to the 2015 terror attacks in Tunisia.

Also, Prince William was at the annual Tusk Conservation Awards in Leicester Square, central London.

The Duke of Cambridge did not speak to members of the public who were waiting outside the event at a cinema.

The Duchess of Cambridge was unable to attend the ceremony due to an undisclosed matter relating to their children.

Princess Anne has also been in central London but she refused to answer reporters' questions.

Prince Andrew, who was accused of "utterly lacking in compassion" for the victims of the late billionaire Epstein, said his association with the disgraced financier has "become a major disruption to my family's work".

He said he "deeply sympathises" with Epstein's victims and is "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

Lawyer Lisa Bloom, representing some of Epstein's alleged victims, raised the possibility on Thursday of questioning Andrew under oath.

She told BBC Breakfast: "It's not going to be easy to subpoena (summons) someone like Prince Andrew, he's obviously not walking down the street where a process server can just hand him a piece of paper, it's a lot more complicated.

"If he refused to come, we may have a diplomatic situation between [the UK] and [the US]. I hope it doesn't come to that.

"I take him at his word that he says he is going to co-operate, and I hope that's what's going to happen."

Prince Andrew is not under investigation and has denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Bloom welcomed his departure from public life, and added: "It's about justice and accountability for the victims. So it's important that he says he's going to cooperate with law enforcement.

"He should also answer questions from all of the accusers' attorneys, especially the attorney for Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has very significant claims against him.

"He should turn over any and all evidence.

"He has e-mails, texts, calendars, all the normal stuff that you turn over when you're in litigation.

"And he should have his staffers and security personnel also talk to law enforcement, because they could help us determine where he was when he was there and what they saw. So all of that is extremely important so we can get to the bottom of what happened."

She also tweeted: "He and his staff must cooperate with all investigations, show up for civil depositions and trials, and produce all documents.

"We are just getting started."

Epstein, who was found hanged in prison earlier this year, was awaiting trial accused of trafficking girls as young as 14 for sex and had previously served time in prison in 2008 for prostituting underage girls.

In his interview with Newsnight, the prince said he thought visiting Epstein in 2010 to end their friendship was "the honourable thing to do".

He said he "let the side down" by staying at the billionaire's New York mansion, but said he had done so because it was "convenient".

He also said he had "no recollection" of meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with a number of his associates, including Andrew, when she was 17.

When asked whether he had sex with Ms Roberts Giuffre after meeting in a London nightclub in 2001, he said the alleged encounter did not happen.

He said he had been in Pizza Express in Woking that afternoon with his daughter, Princess Beatrice, and was then at home that evening.

Andrew also suggested a photo of him and Ms Roberts Giuffre together at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell may have been doctored.

Asked whether the duke should voluntarily give a statement to US authorities, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, at his party's manifesto launch in Birmingham, said: "Nobody is above the law."

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Andrew will continue to work on Pitch@palace because this was a private initiative and not a specific official royal one, Sky's royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said.

There will now be a transition period where they work out how that will take shape.

Among the projects likely to be discussed, the palace said, is the duke's Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA) initiative.

The University of Huddersfield, where the duke was conferred as Chancellor in 2015, said it would begin the process of appointing his successor next week.

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-a...a-subpoena-to-face-epstein-questions-11866392

 

[sweep_shot]

The Duke of York has been seen for the first time since he announced he would step back from royal duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Prince Andrew said on Wednesday he would withdraw from his official role for the "foreseeable future".

Criticism of the prince's ties to convicted US sex offender Epstein intensified amid a growing backlash following a BBC interview.

Lawyers for Epstein's victims have urged the prince to speak to US police.

The prince was seen by photographers on Thursday morning driving out of his home in Windsor, Berkshire, and was later spotted leaving Buckingham Palace.

The Duke of York's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who defended him as a "true and real gentleman" a day before the Newsnight interview was broadcast, was also seen being driven into the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Meanwhile, more organisations have announced they are cutting ties with the Duke of York.

The University of Huddersfield said the prince was stepping down with immediate effect from his role as chancellor.

The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions - which represents tourist sites such as museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK - said the prince was no longer its president.

And the Outward Bound Trust - a network of outdoor education schools - said it had accepted his resignation as patron.

Companies including BT and Barclays and other institutions had already distanced themselves from the prince.

What does 'stepping back' from royal life actually mean?
Prince Andrew became a full-time working member of the Royal Family following his retirement from the Royal Navy.

The announcement that he would be stepping down from public duties, described by Buckingham Palace as "a personal decision", was taken following discussions with the Queen and Prince Charles.

The retirement of the Duke of Edinburgh from public life in 2017 is the most recent example of where a working royal has stepped back from their duties.

Although under very different circumstances, in Prince Philip's case, some of his long-held patronages have been passed to other family members.

The Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex were among the royals to take on his former patronages.

What happens to Prince Andrew's finances?
The prince's access to public money to fund travel and expenses will end.

For example, a three-day visit to Bahrain by the prince on behalf of the UK government in April 2018 cost £16,272, paid for by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant.

The Sovereign Grant is public money which pays for the cost of official royal duties, in exchange for the surrender by the Queen of the revenue from the Crown Estate.

There is also an annual payment to the prince from the Privy Purse - the Queen's private income - recorded in 2011 as being £249,000.

Asked about whether this funding would continue, Buckingham Palace said only that the Duke of York's office was funded privately by the Queen.

What does Prince Andrew's decision mean for Epstein's accusers?
The prince has been urged to put himself forward to be interviewed by US investigators who are looking into allegations against Jeffrey Epstein.

In his statement on Wednesday, Prince Andrew said he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

David Boies, a lawyer representing Virginia Giuffre and other accusers, said the prince's withdrawal from his royal duties was "a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions".

"A second positive step would be to agree to be interviewed by the lawyers representing the victims of Jeffrey Epstein," he added.

Gloria Allred, who represents some of Epstein's accusers, told BBC Newsnight that she was "glad" it appeared the prince was willing to co-operate.

But she asked: "Is he insisting that he be served with a subpoena to testify, or is he willing to speak to law enforcement without being legally required to do so?

"My clients who are victims of Jeffrey Epstein have spoken to law enforcement without being 'required' to do so."

Another US lawyer for several Epstein accusers, Lisa Bloom, who is Ms Allred's daughter, said she would be prepared to serve legal papers on the prince in the UK, compelling him to give sworn testimony.

Ms Bloom said it appeared the prince may have crucial information on Epstein's alleged crimes and that she would be willing to serve him with legal papers compelling him to give sworn testimony.

Virginia Giuffre claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince three times. The prince has always denied any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.

So what next for the prince?
It is now unlikely that Prince Andrew will attend events or make trips in his capacity as the Queen's third child.

Other working royals are expected to take over Prince Andrew's commitments in the short term.

It is likely the prince's private office at Buckingham Palace, which helps him keep his official diary, will reduce in size.

But it will not be a complete retirement for Prince Andrew.

It is understood the prince will continue to support his entrepreneur programme, Pitch@Palace, although it will take place separately from the palace.

Prince Andrew's attendance at Royal Family engagements, such as the Trooping of the Colour, Remembrance Sunday or Christmas at the family's estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, is not thought to be affected.

This is without precedent in modern times. Prince Andrew's public life is over for now. The statement says the withdrawal is "for the foreseeable future". But it's hard to see what will bring him back.

The interview is almost universally seen as a mistake. It was a disaster. But it may have seemed a good idea at the time.

BBC Panorama has been digging into Virginia Giuffre's allegations and is going to air soon. That will have added to the pressure, alongside legal efforts in New York to have more Epstein-related papers released.

There's talk of a lack of grip at the Palace, but Buckingham Palace is not like a company or a government department, with reporting lines and a chain of command. For centuries princes have gone their own way.

There are lots of questions - about money, titles, military commands, patronages, about how this might speed reform, and of course about whether Prince Andrew still has a part to play in helping with investigations into Epstein, and helping Epstein's victims find answers.

But right now the humiliation is complete. Born into the public eye, Prince Andrew has had to retreat into a private life.

And the monarchy is shaken.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50498156.

 

[The Viper]

Prince Andrew dumped by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

It comes on a day Prince Andrew was photographed horse riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle estate with the Queen.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has decided to "part company" with Prince Andrew.

The RPO said it would like to express "gratitude to His Royal Highness for his support of the orchestra over the past 15 years" as it became the latest organisation to sever ties.

A spokesman for the English National Ballet also announced it had accepted the duke's resignation as patron "with immediate effect" and thanked him for 18 years of support.

And Barclays, a partner of the duke's Pitch@Palace initiative, said it was ending its ties with the project "in light of the current situation".

Earlier today Prince Andrew was photographed horse riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle estate with the Queen.

It is the second time he has been spotted out and about since his decision to step back from royal duties, following the widely criticised TV interview over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Andrew was also photographed leaving his house the Royal Lodge, in Windsor, Berkshire, on Thursday.

He was expected to travel to Bahrain in the Middle East this weekend as part of his Pitch@Palace project for tech entrepreneurs, but cancelled plans following reported pressure from his family.

Despite stepping back from public life, Andrew will be continuing with Pitch@Palace "outside and entirely separate from the palace", Buckingham Palace said.

Asked about the Duke of York retaining his military titles and attending Remembrance Day and the Trooping of the Colour, the palace added: "The Duke of York will keep his military commands but will not be carrying out any public engagements. He remains a member of the Royal Family. As a royal colonel and a war veteran he will take part in these ceremonies."

It is thought he will not have any involvement with the dozens of other charities and organisations with which he has been associated.

Sky News understands that Amanda Thirsk, who was appointed the duke's private secretary in 2012 and was involved in the negotiations for the Newsnight interview, has not been sacked as has been reported.

But Sky's royal correspondent, Rhiannon Mills, has confirmed she will stand down.

Mills said: "With little need for a private secretary now the prince has stepped back from royal duties, I'm told she will stand down and leave that role in January.

"I have been told that she now wants to focus on the key projects which she retains links with. She is CEO of Pitch@Palace, responsible for overseeing iDEA [inspired digital enterprise awards] and a trustee of the duke's charitable trust.

"She feels she has a responsibility to Pitch and iDEA and will now focus her attention on how they need to be pivoted to ensure their survival."

A spokesperson for Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge said it "will be reviewing the position of Prince Andrew, Duke of York as an Honorary Fellow" at its governing body meeting next week.

This comes after two other organisations on Friday confirmed they had cut ties with the prince following the interview.

Trustees of Baker Dearing Educational Trust confirmed to Sky News that the duke had ceased being patron of the organisation - which helps run the 50 university technical colleges across the country - with "immediate effect".

Tall Ships Youth Trust, a sail training charity, said it has started "the process of seeking a new patron".

Prince Andrew, who was accused of "utterly lacking in compassion" for the victims of the late billionaire Epstein, this week said his association with the disgraced financier had "become a major disruption to my family's work".

"I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein," he said.

"His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.

"I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency."

An image appearing to show Prince Andrew and a 17-year-old Virginia Roberts at Ghislaine Maxwell's house in London in March 2001. Pic: Rex/Shutterstock

In his interview with Newsnight at the weekend, the prince said he thought visiting Epstein - who killed himself in jail earlier this year - in 2010 to end their friendship was "the honourable thing to do".

He said he "let the side down" by staying at the billionaire's New York mansion, but said he had done so because it was "convenient".

The duke also said he had "no recollection" of meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with a number of his associates, including Andrew, when she was 17.

When asked whether he had sex with Ms Roberts Giuffre after meeting in a London nightclub in 2001, he said the alleged encounter did not happen.

He said he had been in Pizza Express in Woking that afternoon with his daughter, Princess Beatrice, and was then at home that evening.

Andrew also suggested a photo of him and Ms Roberts Giuffre together at the London home of Ms Maxwell may have been doctored.

The prince's decisions to stand down from his positions has been labelled a "positive first step" but he has been urged by lawyers for Ms Roberts Giuffre to cooperate with US investigations.

David Boies said: "Prince Andrew's recent interview and his subsequent action to withdraw from public life is welcome news. It is a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions.

"However, basing his decision to step away from his duties due to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is only a half truth.

"He clearly had a long-term association with Ghislaine Maxwell who we maintain was Epstein's co-conspirator and played a central role in devastating the lives of countless women."

The duke is not under investigation and has denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Maxwell has previously denied any wrongdoing and her current whereabouts are unknown.

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-a...riding-as-charities-reviews-continue-11867152

 

[Technics 1210]

You know you are toast when you're dumped by an Orchestra!

 

[sweep_shot]

US Attorney General William Barr has called the death of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein "a perfect storm of screw-ups".

In an interview with AP News, Mr Barr said the jailhouse suicide, which came as Epstein awaited trial, was due to a "series" of mistakes.

His comments come after two guards who were responsible for Epstein were charged with falsifying prison records.

Lawyers for Epstein's victims are urging Prince Andrew, a longtime friend of Epstein, to speak to US police.

The US attorney general said he had personally reviewed CCTV footage that confirmed nobody entered the area were Epstein was detained on the night he died.

"I can understand people who immediately, whose minds went to sort of the worst-case scenario because it was a perfect storm of screw-ups," Mr Barr said in an interview as he flew to the US state of Montana for an event on Thursday.

Epstein, a wealthy financier who partied with the rich and famous, died in Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing girls as young as 14.

Earlier this week, two guards tasked with watching over Epstein's jail unit were charged with sleeping and browsing the internet during their shift as Epstein died.

Officers Tova Noel and Michael Thomas were supposed to check on Epstein every 30 minutes. According to an indictment, the guards had not done their 03:00 or 05:00 checks.

Epstein was placed on suicide watch after he was found on 23 July on his cell floor with bruises on his neck.

He was taken off suicide watch about a week before his death, though kept on a heightened watch that required him to have a cellmate.

But his cellmate was transferred on 9 August to another prison a day before Epstein's death, which a medical examiner ruled to be suicide by hanging.

Mr Barr, who leads the US Department of Justice, said: "I think it was important to have a roommate in there with him and we're looking into why that wasn't done, and I think every indication is that was a screw-up.

"The systems to assure that was done were not followed."

He added that New York prosecutors who are continuing to investigate Epstein's crimes "say there is good progress being made" in the case.

"And I'm hopeful in a relatively short time there will be tangible results," he continued.

Executors of Epstein's estimated $577m (£450m) estate are seeking a judge's approval to create a fund to settle claims by his victims in civil cases.

Meanwhile, victims of Epstein are calling for Prince Andrew, a former friend of Epstein, to submit to an FBI interview.

The Duke of York announced on Wednesday he was stepping back from royal duties amid the fallout from his recent BBC Newsnight interview.

One of Epstein's accusers, Virginia Giuffre, has claimed she was forced to have sex with the duke three times.

Prince Andrew has "categorically" denied it.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50520742.

 

[Technics 1210]

The fallout continues!

Queen cancels Prince Andrew’s 60th birthday bash

The Queen has cancelled a party she had planned to host for Prince Andrew and his charities to mark his 60th birthday in February and is understood to be intending to hold only a small family dinner.

The move comes as the Duke of York is preparing to give up all his charity commitments in a sign that he is unlikely ever to resume royal duties. In addition, American officials are examining procedures for a formal FBI interview with Andrew in Britain. A source close to the duke said he would be “happy to co-operate”.

There is renewed optimism from the FBI that he can provide “very unique and helpful insights” into the investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking scandal, according to sources in the US Department of Justice.

A week after the duke’s disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, more than 20 charities have already severed ties with him. He is expected to resign from up to 160 more within days.

Penny Junor, the royal author, said: “He’s absolutely finished. If Andrew is no longer representing or supporting the monarch in any capacity, or doing good charitably, what’s the point of him?”

Buckingham Palace said he would maintain his military affiliations for now, but would not take part in any events.

There are already signs of concern in military ranks about the duke, whose retreat from public life has been rapid. “Some of the regiments will find it a bit awkward having Andrew on their Christmas card,” said a palace source.

Another source close to the duke said he wanted his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to take over his patronage roles.

It emerged yesterday that, contrary to reports, the Queen never gave her approval to the television interview. She is said to be “privately supportive” of Andrew but “deeply frustrated” that the scandal is overshadowing the work of the rest of the family.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/queen-cancels-prince-andrews-60th-birthday-bash-3dx6rwkr3

You know you are in the doghouse when your dear mum is so peed off that she cancels your birthday party! )

 

[sweep_shot]

An air ambulance service has become the latest charity to withdraw its connection to the Duke of York.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) said "staff, volunteer and donor opinion" had led to the move by its trustee board.

It follows Prince Andrew's appearance on BBC Newsnight and the controversy over his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The duke opened the air ambulance base at Nostell in 2015.

For several months the duke had been facing questions over his ties to US financier Epstein, who took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince three times. The duke has always denied any form of sexual contact or relationship with her.

BT and Barclays have joined universities and other charities in distancing themselves from the duke.

YAA, which has become the latest charity to withdraw its connection, said: "As a charity funded generously by public donations, we must seriously consider the opinions of our donors and supporters, and this has been a significant factor in reaching this decision."

Prince Andrew, 59, announced on Wednesday he would step back from royal duties and all organisations he is patron of because the Epstein scandal had become a "major disruption" to the Royal Family.

Buckingham Palace had described it as "a personal decision" following discussions with the Queen and Prince Charles.

He is no longer patron of the Outward Bound Trust, the English National Ballet, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Metropolitan University.

The University of Huddersfield has also said the prince would step down as chancellor.

The main role of a royal patron is to raise the profile and attract publicity for work done by charities.

The prince will no longer carry out public engagements but will still attend Royal Family events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday.

Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG also announced they were withdrawing support for the duke's business mentoring initiative Pitch@Palace, though sources told the BBC the decisions were made before the interview.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-50565190.