'I LET THE SIDE DOWN'
Grovelling Prince Andrew says he ‘kicks himself daily’ for staying friends with paedo tycoon Jeffrey Epstein
GROVELLING Prince Andrew has apologised for his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and admitted: “I let the side down.”
The Duke tells a BBC Newsnight interview, shown tomorrow night, how he regrets staying close to the shamed US tycoon after his first conviction in 2008.
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But Andrew had “no recollection” of meeting Virginia Roberts, who claims they had sex three times.
He told how he “kicks himself daily” for staying pals with US paedophile Epstein.
And, in the most astonishing royal TV moment since Diana spoke about the breakdown of her and Charles’ marriage, Andrew admits he was wrong to keep in contact.
Speaking inside Buckingham Palace, he told the BBC’s Emily Maitlis: “The problem was the fact that once he had been convicted I stayed with him, and that’s the bit that, as it were, I kick myself 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 I let the side down. Simple as that.”
Andrew, a pal since 1999, was pictured with him in 2010 — two years after his conviction for soliciting an underage girl for prostitution.
We try and uphold the highest standards, and I let the side down. Simple as that.
Prince Andrew
One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, said she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times between 1999 and 2002, in London, New York, and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.
SEX SLAVE CLAIMS
Roberts alleges she was procured as a sex slave at 17 by British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
In a preview clip for the Newsnight interview, Andrew said he couldn’t remember meeting Roberts — despite being pictured alongside her at Maxwell’s home in 2001.
Maitlis asks: “One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts, has made allegations against you.
“She says she met you in 2001, she says she dined with you, danced with you at Tramp nightclub.
“She went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia belonging to Ghislaine Maxwell, your friend. Your response?”
The Duke replies: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady. None whatsoever.”
Asked again, “You don’t remember meeting her,” he affirms: “No.”
The Duke talks about the impact on him, Sarah Ferguson and their daughters. A royal source added: “The Duke and Sarah are a very committed divorced couple and it has been quite a hard thing to remain good parents.”
Buckingham Palace has previously said: “It is emphatically denied that the Duke had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”
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Sources close to Andrew say he has recently felt backed into a corner by spiralling rumours and the claims made by Roberts. He began to fear it could damage his charity work if he did not address them head on.
A senior official said the decision to speak to the BBC was taken with the Queen’s knowledge — and that Maitlis had free rein to quiz him as fiercely and robustly as possible.
The Duke is understood to have been keen to avoid suggestions he was given a soft landing, with TV insiders saying he was clearly keen to appear “humble and contrite” while controlling his rumoured high temper.
A royal source close to Andrew said last night: “The Duke has been facing this horrible episode for far too long.
“It started back in 2011 and it has now become particularly vicious.
He’s tried in every way he can to honestly and consistently put his case across, but it just hasn’t been cutting through.
“There are two narratives — one that there’s something sleazy about the Duke’s relationship with Epstein and doubt about his denials, so there comes a point when actually in a world where he is absolutely clear on both matters that you actually need to record it to camera just honestly, sensibly and candidly, and with an element of humility.
“The hope is that people will see him for the thoroughly-decent individual that he is, and perhaps reflect that he has been absolutely consistent in this whole episode — whereas the other side of the story is a little less consistent.
“Ultimately Andrew just wanted to get on with his work and what matters to him, which is having an impact on a lot of people through his charity work whether they’re learners doing the digital awards or entrepreneurs participating in Pitch@Palace, or soldiers in his regiments. That’s what he really wants to do.
“He regrets meeting Epstein after his conviction, of course, but he’s tired of this cloud being over him.”
'COME CLEAN'
The source added: “He’s had headlines about the Playboy Prince, Airmiles Andy, and the Prince and the Paedo, but nothing could be further. If there are things that he is, it’s not those.”
Andrew became more heavily embroiled in the Epstein scandal following a 2015 US lawsuit where Roberts first claimed she had sex with the Prince.
Telly quiz bid to save tarnished reputation
By Dan Wootton, Executive Editor
HAVING to endure a squirm- inducing inquisition from BBC’s Emily Maitlis INSIDE Buckingham Palace is an acknowledgement that these are indeed desperate times for Randy Andy.
There is zero doubt that the Duke of York is fighting to save his battered reputation.
This could be the most consequential royal interview since Princess Diana on Panorama in 1995 — but the early indication is he hasn’t done quite enough.
Saying of accuser Virginia Roberts that he has “no recollection of ever meeting this lady” is hardly a full throttled denial of sex. He is clearly penitent about his decision to visit Jeffrey Epstein AFTER his conviction. But can he explain maintaining any sort of relationship with a known paedophile?
While Andrew wants this interview to be the end of the matter, it actually might raise more questions. Why not help in the US civil court cases? And what about further co-operation with the police?
This is the second disastrous royal TV interview in a month, following Harry and Meghan’s woe-is-me Africa documentary.
Like that one, Andrew’s chat will infuriate Prince Charles as it takes the spotlight away from his trip to New Zealand.
And Andrew’s choice to go public could backfire if it looks like he’s trying to “mansplain” his way out of a dodgy situation. But he’s right about one thing – he let the side down in a mortifying manner.
Even the Queen must be disappointed in her favourite son.
She has since claimed the Duke should “come clean” about his wrongdoing and face prison, though there is no criminal investigation open into her allegations.
A media representative for Roberts yesterday said she had no comment “at this time”.
But informed of Andrew’s claims that he cannot remember her, her lawyer Brad Edwards told The Sun: “I imagine she is going to respond to that.”
He said Andrew should be speaking to the authorities — or Roberts’ legal team — as they, unlike the BBC, have “all the information”.
Mr Edwards added: “We have extended an invitation to him for many years to come and answer questions from people who actually know the facts and have the documents and photos. Certainly, that invitation remains open.
“It is easy to issue statements when you are talking to someone that doesn’t have all of the information on their side of the table.
“If he wants to get it over with, once and for all, come over.
“There’s plenty of lawyers who would talk to him. If he wanted to make a deposition public, we could make it public. Whatever arrangement we have tried to make, he has elected to get his message out there some other way.”
ONGOING INVESTIGATION
Jack Scarola, another member of Roberts’ legal team, 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.
“Andrew would be considered at the least a key witness. I doubt that he is a target of the investigation but it is possible.”
Royal officials have cast doubt on the 2001 photo which appears to show the Duke with his arm around Roberts. They claim his “chubby fingers” do not match those in the image. Ms Ghislaine has insisted she was never involved in procuring girls for sex.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Epstein was first jailed in 2008 for procuring an underage girl for prostitution. He got an 18-month sentence, during which he was able to go on “work release” to his office six days a week. He was released on probation after 13 months.
This July he was arrested on sex trafficking allegations. On August 10 he was found hanged at the New York Metropolitan Correctional Centre — three weeks after being found unconscious with neck injuries.
Checks were not carried out on the night in question, and CCTV appeared to have malfunctioned. Officials are investigating.
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Epstein ‘slave’ Virginia Roberts felt she was being ‘graded’ after sex with Prince Andrew, documentary claims
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