Virginia Roberts claims she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew in new interview. Video / BBC
New evidence that links the Duke of York with his alleged victim is set to emerge after other women indicated that they were prepared to testify against him, it has been claimed.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an accuser of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, filed a lawsuit in New York this week, accusing Prince Andrew of "rape in the first degree".
Her lawyer, David Boies, told The Telegraph that his team was preparing to present fresh testimony that would throw further doubt on the duke's account.
"I think you will see additional evidence, for example, you've heard some testimony about other girls who saw Andrew with Virginia, and there will be additional testimony about that from the same woman, but from some other women too," he said.
Boies was referring to Johanna Sjoberg, the only other accuser to have come forward publicly to allege sexual contact with the royal.
Prince Andrew in the notorious photograph, allegedly with a young Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell. Photo / Supplied, File
Sjoberg accused the duke of groping her by taking a Spitting Image puppet of himself and placing its hand on her breast in London in 2001. Sjoberg, who was a student in Florida at the time, claims the late financier ordered her to "entertain" the prince.
She also claims that in mid-1999, she and Giuffre accompanied Epstein to visit Prince Andrew at Balmoral.
Sjoberg, 41, has previously expressed a willingness to testify to US authorities about the alleged abuse. However, her lawyer would not comment on claims she would testify on Giuffre's behalf, telling The Telegraph only that she was trying to "move past the trauma".
Prince Andrew's spokesperson declined to comment on the claim.
The duke, 61, is at Balmoral with the Queen this week.
He is said to have left for Scotland with his former wife, the Duchess of York, hours before a US summons was approved by a court clerk and sent to Royal Lodge, his Windsor home. He is understood to have 21 days to respond or face "judgment by default".
The duke has said he has no recollection of meeting Giuffre, who is now 38, despite the existence of a photograph showing him with his arm around her in a London townhouse. He has also denied sleeping with her.
"You're not going to find anybody who was present in the room when they (are alleged to have) had sex," Boies said.
"Epstein famously taped all of these sexual encounters, but those tapes have disappeared and I don't think anybody's going to find them.
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in a photograph included in an indictment of Maxwell on child sex trafficking charges. Photo / US District Court of the Southern District of New York, File
"What you will have is more evidence that refutes his [Prince Andrew's] assertion that he never knew her, or as his most recent modification has it, that he doesn't recall meeting her.
"He's going to have a very difficult time when his deposition is taken, because now he's got to answer questions under oath, subject to cross-examination and there will be lots of difficult questions."
On launching her legal action, Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to the duke and sexually abused on three separate occasions when she was 17 in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands.
Ghislaine Maxwell is prepared to give evidence on behalf of the duke should the case ever reach court, The Telegraph revealed on Wednesday.
However, the socialite, who is currently languishing in jail awaiting trial in November on sex trafficking charges, would herself need to be cleared of wrongdoing if her evidence is to be considered credible.
Boies, 80, a famed litigator known for his successful prosecution of Microsoft, said his team had tried to make contact with the duke's representatives for five years, but have never received a reply.
"I have a hard time understanding this," he told The Telegraph. "They don't have to admit anything, it doesn't cost them anything, but is just a way to avoid litigation right now. The only thing I can think of is that they may have thought that I was just bluffing and that if they called our bluff we wouldn't sue them. Anyone who knows me knows I don't bluff.
"There's no question that [Andrew] feels he is above the law. But he is not and somebody should have told him that."
Boies said the Southern District of New York judge assigned to the case, Lewis Kaplan, is "known for moving cases relatively brusquely" so he does not believe the case will "drag on".
The duke is not covered by any sovereign or diplomatic protection, which is only afforded the Queen and her immediate household.
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact the Safe to Talk confidential crisis helpline on: • Text 4334 and they will respond • Email support@safetotalk.nz • Visit https://safetotalk.nz/contact-us/ for an online chat
