Prince Andrew may never visit the United States again, as he faces the possibility of being arrested and charged over his alleged involvement in the sex trafficking ring of his former friend, the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The prince has been accused by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, of having sex with her when she was 17 years old, a claim that he has vehemently denied
According to Express, The prince has also been named in recently unsealed court documents that reveal more details about Epstein’s associates and activities. The documents include a deposition by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and alleged accomplice, who is currently awaiting trial in New York on charges of sex trafficking and perjury. Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to the court papers, Maxwell was asked about a photograph that shows Prince Andrew with his arm around Giuffre’s waist, with Maxwell smiling in the background. The photograph, which was allegedly taken at Maxwell’s London home in 2001, has been widely circulated in the media and is considered a key piece of evidence in Giuffre’s civil lawsuit against the prince, which was settled in 2022.
Maxwell claimed that she did not remember the photograph being taken, and that she did not know where the original was. She also suggested that the photograph could have been doctored, saying that Prince Andrew’s fingers looked “too chubby” and that his clothes did not match the ones he usually wore.
The court papers also show that Maxwell was questioned about Prince Andrew’s relationship with Epstein, and whether she had ever seen him with underage girls. Maxwell denied that she had ever witnessed any inappropriate behavior by the prince, and said that he was a “very honourable” person who would not lie.
However, legal experts have said that the prince’s legal risks in the US are not diminished by Maxwell’s testimony, and that he could still face criminal charges if he were to travel to the US or any of its territories. They have also said that the prince does not have diplomatic immunity for the alleged offences, something that is only afforded to the Queen and her immediate household.
Ben Michael, an attorney with M & A Criminal Defense Attorneys, told Daily Express US¹: “The chances of Prince Andrew being extradited and facing charges here in the US are very small. Could he be charged, even though he is of royal status? Yes – he’s not exempt from criminal charges because of his status. But is it likely the US will actually extradite him? No. There is a much greater chance that if he ever steps foot on US soil again, he may get arrested and face charges. He knows this, and because of that, he will simply not come to the US again.”
Spencer T. Kuvin, a board-certified civil trial attorney with Goldlaw, who represented nine of Epstein’s lawyers, told Newsweek⁴: “I don’t expect him to come anywhere near the United States any time soon because there’s a possibility that he may be arrested. I think it’s unlikely that he would be indicted and extradited to the United States, it’s certainly a possibility.”
