The royal's legal team are seeking to speak to her spouse under oath in Australia. Photo / Getty Images
The royal's legal team are seeking to speak to her spouse under oath in Australia. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Andrew's lawyers plan to interview Virginia Giuffre's husband.
Virginia has accused convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein - who took his own life in August 2019 - and his one-time girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell of arranging and forcing her into having sex with the Duke of York in 2001 when she was 17.
As part of the civil case, the 61-year-old royal's legal team are to speak to her spouse Robert under oath in Australia.
Judge Lewis Kaplan has written to the country's Attorney General asking for help to arrange the interview, either in person or via video link, and explained Andrew is keen to have him questioned about their living arrangements in Australia, any discussion Virginia had with Robert about the prince, all aspects of their income, and his accuser's "alleged childhood trauma and abuse".
They also want Robert to be questioned on Virginia's "role in recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein."
The Australian Attorney General has also been asked to help the judge arrange an interview with Virginia's therapist, Dr. Judith Lightfoot, because Andrew and his legal team want to know what medical treatment she may have given her client, her medical history and any diagnosis she gave her, and what trauma she suffered as a child.
Virginia has accused Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell of arranging for her to have sex with the Duke of York in 2001 when she was 17. Photo / AP
They also plan to quiz the doctor about the bills she charged, "theory of false memories", and any alleged "emotional and psychological harm and damages".
Meanwhile, Virginia's team have asked for Andrew's former equerry, Robert Olney, to give evidence.
Her lawyers claimed the assistant's name and phone number were in Epstein's contacts book and so he would have knowledge of Andrew's friendship with the late businessman.
Judge Kaplan has written to London's High Court asking Senior Master Elizabeth Fontaine - who manages requests from foreign courts - and explained any evidence obtained from Robert would be used in the trial against Andrew.
The judge felt the former staff member was likely to have "relevant information" about travel to and from Epstein's properties and about the prince's relationship with him and Maxwell.
If the request is accepted, Robert will be questioned on any communications referencing Virginia, who Andrew has claimed he has never even met.
In addition, the judge called for assistance in obtaining a statement from Shukri Walker, who claims to have seen the prince at Tramps nightclub in London in March 2001 with a young woman who may have been his accuser.
The testimony of all four witnesses must be completed by April 29.
Andrew - who is fighting the case as a private citizen and recently returned all his patronages and military associations to Queen Elizabeth - has denied the allegations against him.
