Prince Andrew is a 'thoroughly good man' says Sarah Ferguson

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Prince Andrew, 61, has been embroiled in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal for years, as the Duke came under fire for his association with the convicted sex offender. The Duke has also repeatedly faced allegations he has sex with Ms Giuffre, 38, but the royal has categorically denied her claims. Now the woman has filed a civil lawsuit in New York claiming Prince Andrew abused her on three occasions in 2001.

She is suing Prince Andrew under the Child Victims Act, which expanded victims’ rights to sue alleged abusers, and is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Speaking about the lawsuit, she said: “I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me.”

The lawsuit alleges the prince abused Ms Giuffre on three occasions when she was under 18, nearly two decades ago.

It claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew against her will at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell.

The lawsuit alleges the Duke abused Ms Giuffre on two other occasions, in Mr Epstein’s New York mansion and a private island that he owned.

The official court documents say Ms Giuffre “was initially recruited to provide massages and, thereafter to engage in a variety of sexual acts, for Epstein”.

The documents say she was then “regularly abused by Epstein” and “lent out” by him to “other powerful men for sexual purposes”.

It alleges: “One such powerful man to whom plaintiff (Ms Giuffre) was lent out for sexual purposes was the defendant, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.”

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A source told the Mail Online the lawsuit could be “devastating” for the Duke.

They claimed: “This could be devastating for Andrew.

“If he chooses to fight it and is deposed [forced to give evidence], then those depositions could end up being made public.

“If he ignores it, he could be found guilty in absentia which would be a public relations disaster.”

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Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied having any involvement with Ms Giuffre.

In his infamous BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis he 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.”

The Duke later issued a statement saying he regrets his association with Mr Epstein and sympathises with the victims.

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.

“Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”

Ms Giuffre first made her accusations against the Duke in 2014 court filings in a case brought by Mr Epstein’s victims against the Department of Justice.

Her current lawsuit comes nearly two years after Mr Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail, just one month after being detains on sex trafficking charges.

Ms Maxwell was arrested last July and has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that she conspired with Epstein in the abuse of four under-age girls.

She is due to stand trial in November.

Prince Andrew’s representatives said they had no comment on the latest developments.

Express.co.uk has approached Buckingham Palace for a comment.

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