Prince Andrew, the duke of the York said in a statement that he is “appalled” by the accusations made against his late former friend Jeffrey Epstein after a video was released purporting to show him at the home of the convicted pedophile in 2010.
The video footage which believed to have been shot on Dec. 6, 2010, shows that Andrew was with disgraced billionaire Epstein in New York’s Central Park and waving goodbye to a woman as she departs Epstein’s mansion and enters a chauffeur-driven car.
“The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes,” saying this the Buckingham Palace statement added,
“His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent.”
Epistein, 66 who was charged for sex trafficking and conspiracy committed suicide last week at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan,
Epstein pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and conspiracy charges last month.
In 2015, a woman said she was one of Epstein’s sex slaves attested in court documents that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew multiple times when she was 17. Calling them “false and without any foundation”, Buckingham Palace denied the allegations at that time.
Virginia Roberts claimed in court papers in Florida that she was compelled to have intercourse with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the time of assent in the state.
But Buckingham Palace has branded the allegations “false and without any foundation”.
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