Prince Andrew has always been a bit of a black sheep in the royal family. Recently, the controversy around him has reared its head once again. In an extremely rare interview, the third child of Queen Elizabeth responded to those criticisms. Andrew sat down with the BBC to discuss his friendship with the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Not only did he discuss his friendship with the controversial figure, but Andrew also addressed allegations against himself. Virginia Roberts claimed that she was forced to engage in sexual relations with Andrew on three separate occasions between 1999 and 2002 in London, New York, and on a private Caribbean island owned by Jeffrey.
While he admits to the friendship and having visited the island, he claims to have no recollection of meeting Virginia. Sources close to the royal family have indicated that Andrew thought this interview would clear his name, but it appears to be raising even more questions.
In a one-of-a-kind sit-down interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, Prince Andrew attempted to clear the air. There's been a great deal of controversy around his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and the subsequent allegations against him by Virginia Roberts. It's been suggested that the Duke of York was aware of, or even participated in, the conduct that led to Jeffrey's arrest and, ultimately, his death.
The Duke of York acknowledged he met Jeffrey in the late '90s. It was at that point that the two developed a friendship, although Andrew states they saw each other only once or twice a year. He said that Jeffrey offered him the use of his properties, which Andrew would go on to use on several occasions.
Andrew remarked on Jeffrey's ability to "bring extraordinary people together." He recalled dinner parties that featured politicians, academics, and more. He insisted that his reputation as a partyer, and how that's been extended to his connection with Jeffrey, has been exaggerated by outside sources.
Andrew met with Jeffrey after his December 2010 prison release and allegedly stayed with him in New York for four days. During that time, photos of the two men were taken out and about. While Andrew says he regrets his decision to meet with Jeffrey, his reasons were good.
Andrew says he met with Jeffrey to end the friendship face-to-face. He says that he never saw any indication of the behavior Jeffrey would be convicted of but understood it was no longer appropriate to maintain a friendship.
Andrew maintained that his relationship with Jeffrey was because of Jeffrey's girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. It is a photo taken in her home that's at the center of the allegations against the Duke of York. Virginia Roberts claims she was forced to have sex with the royal three times between 1999 and 2002 in London, New York, and on Jeffrey's private island, all of which was when she was underage.
"I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever," Andrew asserted. "It just never happened." However, the photo of Andrew with his arm around a then-17-year-old Virginia tells a different story.
"I have absolutely no memory of that photograph ever being taken," he said. "I don’t remember going upstairs in the house because that photograph was taken upstairs and I am not entirely convinced that … I mean that is … that is what I would describe as me in that … in that picture but I can’t … we can’t be certain as to whether or not that’s my hand on her whatever it is, left … left side."
Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, claimed to have danced with Prince Andrew at London’s exclusive Tramp nightclub. Andrew provided his explanation as to how this story couldn't be. "No, that couldn’t have happened because the date that’s being suggested I was at home with the children," he said.
Andrew claimed he was with his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, while their mother, Sarah Ferguson, was away. "I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at I suppose sort of four or five in the afternoon," he recalled. "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. I was on terminal leave at the time from the Royal Navy so, therefore, I was at home."
Virginia's claims also stated in court papers that she danced with the Duke of York as he sweated profusely at the club. He also refuted that claim with an interesting story about his history with sweating. "I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenalin in the Falkland’s War when I was shot at and I simply … it was almost impossible for me to sweat," he explained.
"It’s only because I have done a number of things in the recent past that I am starting to be able to do that again," he elaborated. He also shot down the idea that he could have had sex with Virginia on the date that she claimed.
"I was at a dinner for The Outward Bound Trust in New York and then I flew up to Boston the following day and then on the day that she says that this occurred, they’d (Epstein and Giuffre) already left to go the island before I got back from Boston. So, I don’t think that could have happened at all," Prince Andrew rationalized.
Prince Andrew may have thought this interview was going to help with his public perception, but reactions have indicated otherwise. Critics have slammed his nonsensical and sometimes evasive answers. Only time will tell how the rest of this will unfold for one of the most controversial members of the royal family.
