Lawyer accuses palace of using Meghan to take focus off Prince Andrew

Ben Quinn
·3 min read
Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA
Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA

A US lawyer for some of the women who say they were victims of Jeffrey Epstein has suggested that Buckingham Palace’s plans to examine bullying allegations against the Duchess of Sussex are a “calculated decision” to take the focus off Prince Andrew.

“Allegations about him are far worse than the allegations about Meghan Markle. Prince Andrew was a working royal when he became a friend of Jeffrey Epstein, who was a sexual predator,” said Gloria Allred.

“Prince Andrew is accused of much more than bullying or harassment in the workplace,” said the lawyer, who does not represent Virginia Giuffre, who has made the allegations against the prince, but is acting for 20 women who say they were victims of the disgraced US financier.

Allred and others have been campaigning for the prince, who denies the allegations against him, to offer himself for interview in person by US criminal investigators and prosecutors looking into Epstein’s crimes and those associated with him.

The lawyer last month arranged for a US-style school bus to drive through different parts of London, including past Buckingham Palace, with a message on the side asking the prince to speak with the FBI.

In a statement issued on Monday, Allred said: “Why does Buckingham Palace not conduct an investigation and make a public statement condemning Prince Andrew for failing to provide what is requested to those who are seeking the whole truth and justice for the victims of crimes against children?

“Why has Prince Andrew not been stripped of the royal titles that he enjoys, as has been the case for Meghan and Harry? He has certainly not brought dignity and respect to his work as a royal.”

Watch: How Are People Reacting to the Harry and Meghan's Interview?

Allred added: “The investigation into Meghan Markle is a distraction, and it appears hypocritical under the circumstances. I have to wonder if it reflects a calculated decision to take the focus off of Prince Andrew.

“It is long overdue for the palace to change its priorities and announce that it is conducting its own investigation of Prince Andrew. In addition, it should immediately issue a statement condemning Prince Andrew for failing to provide full in-person cooperation in the ongoing criminal investigation by the United States justice department.”

In December, Andrew’s spokesperson declined to comment on a report that the prince stayed in the New York mansion of the sex offender Epstein in April 2001, despite Andrew denying doing so in his infamous Newsnight interview.

The refusal to repeat the denial came after the Daily Mail uncovered a fax that said the prince had stayed at a “private address in New York” on 11 April and its sources confirmed this was Epstein’s £60m home in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Giuffre, who was 17 at the time and called Virginia Roberts, alleges Epstein flew her to New York to have sex with Andrew – something Andrew continues to vehemently deny.

Giuffre says she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the prince three times in 2001. The prince has always denied any wrongdoing and says he cannot recall meeting her or having his picture taken with her.

He said in November: “I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein … Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”

Since then he has not spoken to US authorities investigating Epstein’s alleged crimes.

Watch: The key revelations from Meghan and Harry’s Oprah interview

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Man sets himself on fire in protest area outside Trump trial

    A man has set himself on fire outside the courthouse in New York where former US President Donald Trump is on trial. The man was in the designated protest area outside the courthouse. It comes after jury selection for Trump's hush money trial concluded with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president covered up payments to women who alleged they had affairs with him.

  • AI Chip Leader Arm Stock Dives Below A Key Support Level, Is It A Buy Right Now?

    AI chip stock Arm Holdings surged more than 152% past a recent buy point. Following that advance, is Arm stock a buy in today's stock market?

  • Germany coach Nagelsmann extends contract through 2026 World Cup. Bayern left still searching

    BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has extended his contract by two years, taking him beyond the upcoming European Championship and through the 2026 World Cup. It also rules out Nagelsmann returning to Bayern Munich, which is looking for a new coach for next season after deciding to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of this season. Nagelsmann was the reported favorite following Xabi Alonso’s decision to stay with Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern has to look elsewhere after two high-prof

  • Trump’s hush money trial jury is set. Here’s why we won’t learn much about them.

    The jury that will decide whether Donald Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records is made up of seven men and five women who live in Manhattan.

  • Toronto FC, New England looking to turn the tide after disappointing showings

    Toronto FC and the New England Revolution are both looking to climb out of a hole when they meet Saturday at BMO Field. After a promising start under John Herdman, injury-depleted Toronto (3-4-1) has lost three straight while being outscored 10-3. New England (1-5-1) made it as far as the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup but has found league wins hard to come by under new coach Caleb Porter. Porter sees some similarities with Toronto. "There's a transition that their club's going thro

  • Logan Webb keeps spinning, Mike Trout is fully back, Mets city connect uniform released

    Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the rough debut from Jack Leiter, Logan Webb continuing to absolutely spin for the Giants, discuss things they love & hate, give their good, bad and Uggla for the week and react to the new Mets city connect uniforms.

  • Israel’s measured strike on Iran sends a deliberately mixed message to the world

    The message sent by Israel’s limited military strike on Iran depends entirely on where you sit – and that “ambiguity” is very much intentional.

  • Magnificent Seven Stocks To Buy And Watch: Nvidia Stock Dives Below Key Level

    Magnificent Seven stocks, including AI leader Nvidia, are among the best stocks to buy and watch in today's stock market.

  • New trial in Elk Grove police death case ordered over ‘false or misleading’ testimony

    “In this case, false testimony prevented plaintiffs from fully and fairly presenting their case.”

  • Woodstock politicians push to build more homes (just not this many in one spot)

    WOODSTOCK – A proposal to turn a Victorian home into an eight-unit apartment complex has been quashed by city politicians here, despite the community's need for more housing. City council voted unanimously to reject the proposal – delighting neighbours vehemently opposed to the prospect overhaul at 329 Buller St. The house is around the corner from a historic neigbourhood with an abundance of heritage homes and within a kilometre of the city’s downtown. “I'm really happy that our voices were hea

  • Even IBD 50 Medical Products Stocks Don't All Look Healthy In This Sick Market

    Dexcom stock reversed on Friday and fell below a buy point. But one of these medical stocks is still in a buy zone.

  • Man Sets Himself on Fire Outside Trump Trial, Reports Say

    Ambulances rushed to the scene where a man set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial was taking place on Friday, April 19, according to local reports.Video from Liam Quigley shows several firetrucks and members of the New York Police Department near Collect Pond Park, across the street from the courthouse, where the person appeared to have self-immolated. Bystanders said they saw the person pour liquid over his head before setting himself on fire, CBS News reported, citing witnesses.The person was receiving medical treatment but his condition was unclear, Quigley said.This is a developing story. Credit: Liam Quigley via Storyful

  • C$ notches weekly gain as market works off oversold position

    The Canadian dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as oil prices rose and the market took stock of recent losses for the currency, but the move was limited following the recent move in yield spreads in favor of the greenback. "The Canadian dollar coming back somewhat is simply technical from an oversold market," said Michael Goshko, senior market analyst at Convera Canada. The slowdown in Canadian inflation has contrasted with the recent heating up of U.S. price pressures, raising bets the Bank of Canada would begin easing interest rates before the Federal Reserve.

  • Commissioner Gramaglia provides update on two missing Buffalo children

    Commissioner Gramaglia provided an update on the search for two missing Buffalo children on Friday afternoon

  • Jon Bon Jovi, supermodel Leomie Anderson and more party in London this week

    Celebrities were spotted across a string of events in the capital this week

  • US STOCKS-Nasdaq, S&P stumble as Netflix, chip stocks drag; AmEx boosts Dow

    The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 fell on Friday, as Netflix weighed but American Express kept the Dow on the plus side after quarterly earnings from each, while growing pessimism that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates soon also dented sentiment. Netflix slumped 8.77% as one of the bigger drags on the benchmark S&P index and Nasdaq after the video streaming company's second-quarter revenue view fell short of analysts' expectations while the company also unexpectedly said it would no longer provide subscriber counts.

  • CANADA FX DEBT-C$ notches weekly gain as market works off oversold position

    The Canadian dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as oil prices rose and the market took stock of recent losses for the currency, but the move was limited following the recent move in yield spreads in favor of the greenback. "The Canadian dollar coming back somewhat is simply technical from an oversold market," said Michael Goshko, senior market analyst at Convera Canada. The slowdown in Canadian inflation has contrasted with the recent heating up of U.S. price pressures, raising bets the Bank of Canada would begin easing interest rates before the Federal Reserve.

  • Major zoning shift would axe minimum parking, allow denser housing, save trees

    The City of Ottawa is looking to eliminate minimum parking rules, save space for trees and allow more neighbourhood-based businesses through a major rewrite of its zoning bylaw.It's only a first draft that must now go through about a year and a half of public consultation, redrafting and voting at council and its committees, but Coun. Jeff Leiper said it goes a long way to meeting the city's development goals."This zoning bylaw obviously allows considerably more density right across the city," s

  • Watch for Lyrid fireballs to light up the sky Sunday night

    One of the oldest known meteor showers peaks Sunday night. Check your weather forecast and find somewhere dark to watch for fireballs streaking across the sky.

  • Biden administration moves to make conservation an equal to industry on US lands

    BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday finalized a new rule for public land management that's meant to put conservation on more equal footing with oil drilling, grazing and other extractive industries on vast government-owned properties. Officials pushed past strong opposition from private industry and Republican governors to adopt the proposal. GOP members of Congress said in response that they will seek to invalidate it. The rule from the Interior Department's Bureau of La