Prince Andrew is ‘too scared to return to the US’ and fears being dragged into multi-million dollar Jeffrey Epstein lawsuits – The Sun
PRINCE Andrew is “frustrated” because he fears he will not be able to return to the US due to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, reports claim.
The Duke of York is reportedly worried he may be drawn into the multi-million dollar lawsuits brought by some of his paedo pal’s alleged victims.
Andrew has not visited the US since early 2017 – despite the country being one of his “favourite” places in the world to go.
He is said to be “disappointed” that his plans to launch a business scheme for entrepreneurs in the US later this year have been put on hold.
One source told the Daily Mail: “Andrew has openly said he can’t see how he can go back to the US at the moment with everything that is going on.
“I know this is a source of enormous frustration for him as it is one of his favourite places in the world to go.”
Andrew had wanted to get a foothold in the US by taking his Pitch@Palace scheme – a Dragons’ Den-style initiative for entrepreneurs – to the country.
He is understood to have discussed his plans with Donald Trump when the US President came to the UK for his state visit earlier this year.
But the proposal has been “put on ice”, according to reports.
“Andrew is very disappointed as he has long been very keen to get a foothold out there with it,” the source added.
Disgraced financier Epstein, 66, hanged himself in his New York jail cell on August 10 – while awaiting trial for allegedly running a child sex ring.
The inquiry is now focusing on several alleged co-conspirators, believed to include Ghislaine Maxwell, 57, the daughter of disgraced newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell.
At least five women who say they were abused by Epstein have filed lawsuits against his £458million estate after the paedo killed himself.
All said Epstein used a “vast enterprise” of associates to recruit them, subject them to unwanted sex acts and keep them under his control.
Andrew’s private life has been under intense scrutiny following Epstein’s suicide.
The royal was notoriously photographed with his arm around Epstein’s alleged “sex slave” Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, when she was 17.
But he has denied sleeping with her and declared himself “appalled” by reports of his former friend’s “alleged crimes”.
Ms Giuffre's claims against Andrew were struck from a court case in 2015.
The judge ruled they were “immaterial and impertinent”.
ANDREW 'APPALLED' BY EPSTEIN CLAIMS
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: “The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes.
“His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.”
Andrew is on holiday in Spain with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 59, as Buckingham Palace fights to clear his name amid revelations that have surfaced since Epstein’s death.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Andrew flew on a private jet with Epstein and the paedo’s alleged “sex slave” Virginia when she was 17.
The allegation, made in court papers, is the first to place Andrew and Roberts on Epstein’s plane together.
In court testimony David Rodgers, 66, said one trip saw Epstein, Andrew and the then 17-year-old Virginia heading to the US Virgin Islands.
The financier had a private island there where he is said to have held orgies involving under-age girls.
INCREASED PRESSURE ON PRINCE
Rodgers' legal deposition marks the first time anyone has alleged Andrew and Virginia were on Epstein’s plane at the same time.
His claim will increase the pressure on Andrew to now reveal everything he knows about Epstein.
The deposition to Virginia’s lawyers was released in New York.
It is among 2,000 court documents relating to a settled defamation case involving her and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
Roberts claimed Maxwell, Epstein’s sometime girlfriend, groomed underage girls for him.
That case was later struck out and the claims have never been tested in court.
Rodgers does not allege any wrongdoing by Prince Andrew on the flights.
Flight logs also show Virginia flew to New York with Epstein on April 9.
Andrew also flew to Boston for official engagements before returning to New York on April 11. On that day, Rodgers says Andrew flew from New Jersey to the Virgin Islands.
Court Circulars do not state Andrew’s whereabouts for the next few days — but a newspaper report places him “in the Bahamas” by April 15.
Rodgers also claims that on 7 August 2001 Prince Andrew was on the maiden flight of Epstein’s infamous “Lolita Express.”
ROYAL DENIAL
Buckingham Palace said: “This evidence statement was submitted in a case in which the Duke was not a party and in which any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.
“The statement shows a number of inconsistencies between the Duke’s alleged location and his actual location when checked with the court circular. In some cases he is on different continents.
“It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts.
“Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation."
FOOT RUB CLAIMS
Andrew was also reportedly seen in Epstein’s mansion getting a foot rub from two young women.
The encounter was detailed in emails between literary agent John Brockman and writer Evgeny Morozov.
Mr Brockman said it came when he visited Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial for child sex trafficking, at his Manhattan home.
In the September 2013 emails, he said he walked in to find a British man wearing a suit and braces and “getting foot massages from two young well-dressed Russian women”.
It not known when the encounter took place but Buckingham Palace has previously insisted Andrew, 59, had no contact with Epstein after 2010.
Sources close to the duke said it was not an account he recognised.
Andrew, whose marriage to Sarah Ferguson broke up when she was seen having her toe sucked by her financier lover, was filmed at Epstein’s home in 2010.
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