Prince Andrew: Expert discusses impact on Royal Family

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The Belgravia pad, owned by Ghislaine Maxwell, is where Virginia Giuffre, previously Virginia Roberts, claimed she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York against her will while underage, something the Duke of York vehemently denies.

The property, located near Hyde Park, has been sold for £1.75million, and is reportedly one of three locations where Ms Giuffre claims she was abused by the royal.

The proceeds of the townhouse sale are said to be used for the legal feeds of Ms Maxwell, who is facing trial in the US on sex abuse charges amid claims she procured young girls for the late convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein, who is Maxwell’s former boyfriend, was found dead in August 2019 and Ms Maxwell denies allegations that she helped to recruit and groom girls for sex with the former financier.

Last week, Mrs Giuffre filed a separate civil lawsuit claiming she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including once at the London property in 2001.

The Duke is being accused of “rape in the first degree” and “intentional” emotional distress, but up to now there has been no public response from the prince or his legal team to the allegations.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, a spokeswoman for Ms Maxwell reported that her client would feel “sad” about the house sale, with the home holding happy memories for her.

She had previously described the property as her London “refuge”, and the house was bought by Stuart Robinson, a Hampshire property developer.

Ms Maxwell was arrested last July, and has been held at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn without bail.

Ms Maxwell introduced The Duke of York to Epstein in the early 1990s, after which they became friends.

Recently an uncropped image featuring the Duke with his arm around Mrs Giuffre with Ms Maxwell in the background was uncovered. The thumb of the photographer is visible in the image but the identity of the snapper remains unconfirmed.

The infamous image is believed to be taken at the London home and shows the prince, aged around 40 at the time, with his accuser.

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In a 2019 interview the Duke said he had “no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever”.

Prince Andrew has strenuously denied all the claims made against him.

It is believed that the scandal around the disgraced Prince is the reason senior royals including his daughter Princess Eugenie and his brother Prince Charles are gathering at Balmoral alongside him and his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

The Royal Family is said to be undertaking “crisis talks” as the ongoing crisis threatens to tarnish the family’s reputation, and also overshadow high-profile events such as the Queen’s jubilee celebrations next year.

Prince Andrew is facing pressure from others to address the situation and salvage the reputation of the monarchy and the royal brand.

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