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| Prince Andrew sex claims 'emphatically denied' by palace | Prince Andrew sex claims 'emphatically denied' by palace |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Buckingham Palace has "emphatically denied" Prince Andrew had sexual contact with a woman who claims she was forced to have sex with him under age. | |
| The Duke of York was named in documents filed in a Florida court over how prosecutors handled a case against financier Jeffrey Epstein. | The Duke of York was named in documents filed in a Florida court over how prosecutors handled a case against financier Jeffrey Epstein. |
| The Mail on Sunday has named the woman as Virginia Roberts. The BBC has not been able to verify her identity. | The Mail on Sunday has named the woman as Virginia Roberts. The BBC has not been able to verify her identity. |
| The palace said the allegations against the duke were "without any foundation." | The palace said the allegations against the duke were "without any foundation." |
| 'Categorically untrue' | 'Categorically untrue' |
| Palace officials made a second statement after further details about the claims were published in Sunday newspapers. | Palace officials made a second statement after further details about the claims were published in Sunday newspapers. |
| An initial statement had said "any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors" by the duke was "categorically untrue". | An initial statement had said "any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors" by the duke was "categorically untrue". |
| BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the latest denial was "quite remarkable" given Prince Andrew is fifth in line to the throne. | BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the latest denial was "quite remarkable" given Prince Andrew is fifth in line to the throne. |
| The situation "has the potential to seriously damage Prince Andrew and the institution he represents," our correspondent added. | The situation "has the potential to seriously damage Prince Andrew and the institution he represents," our correspondent added. |
| The woman behind the allegations says she was forced to sleep with the prince when she was under age, and on three occasions - in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein - between 1999 and 2002. | The woman behind the allegations says she was forced to sleep with the prince when she was under age, and on three occasions - in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein - between 1999 and 2002. |
| A US lawyer, meanwhile, says he is planning legal action against the woman. | A US lawyer, meanwhile, says he is planning legal action against the woman. |
| Alan Dershowitz, who was also named in the court documents, told the BBC he wanted her claims to be made under oath. | Alan Dershowitz, who was also named in the court documents, told the BBC he wanted her claims to be made under oath. |
| Mr Dershowitz, a former Harvard law professor, said: "My goal is to bring charges against the client and require her to speak in court. If she believes she has been hurt by me and Prince Andrew, she should be suing us for damages. | Mr Dershowitz, a former Harvard law professor, said: "My goal is to bring charges against the client and require her to speak in court. If she believes she has been hurt by me and Prince Andrew, she should be suing us for damages. |
| "I welcome that lawsuit. I welcome any opportunity that would put her under oath and require her to state under oath these false allegations." | "I welcome that lawsuit. I welcome any opportunity that would put her under oath and require her to state under oath these false allegations." |
| 'Innocent victim' | 'Innocent victim' |
| Mr Dershowitz also said he thought Prince Andrew should take "whatever legal action is available" to clear his name. | Mr Dershowitz also said he thought Prince Andrew should take "whatever legal action is available" to clear his name. |
| He added: "You cannot allow these false allegations simply to remain out there, and you cannot allow people who make false allegations to have the freedom to continue to make them." | He added: "You cannot allow these false allegations simply to remain out there, and you cannot allow people who make false allegations to have the freedom to continue to make them." |
| He previously told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the allegations against Prince Andrew must be presumed to be false, and that he had only met the prince at public occasions. | He previously told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the allegations against Prince Andrew must be presumed to be false, and that he had only met the prince at public occasions. |
| The woman has issued a statement through her lawyers, saying she was "looking forward to vindicating my rights as an innocent victim and pursuing all available recourse", adding that she was "not going to be bullied back into silence". | The woman has issued a statement through her lawyers, saying she was "looking forward to vindicating my rights as an innocent victim and pursuing all available recourse", adding that she was "not going to be bullied back into silence". |
| The court document alleges that Epstein sexually trafficked the woman making her available for sex to "politically connected and financially powerful people". | The court document alleges that Epstein sexually trafficked the woman making her available for sex to "politically connected and financially powerful people". |
| Prince Andrew and Mr Dershowitz are two of three well-known men named in the court document who it alleges had sexual relations with the woman. | Prince Andrew and Mr Dershowitz are two of three well-known men named in the court document who it alleges had sexual relations with the woman. |
| The prince has previously been criticised for his former friendship with Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for soliciting a minor for prostitution. | The prince has previously been criticised for his former friendship with Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for soliciting a minor for prostitution. |
| The prince and Epstein were photographed meeting in December 2010, after the tycoon had served his prison sentence, and the prince has also visited Epstein at his Florida home over the years. | The prince and Epstein were photographed meeting in December 2010, after the tycoon had served his prison sentence, and the prince has also visited Epstein at his Florida home over the years. |
| The prince later had to apologise for his friendship and stepped down as the UK special representative for trade and investment. | The prince later had to apologise for his friendship and stepped down as the UK special representative for trade and investment. |
| US citizen Virginia Roberts waived her anonymity in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2011, claiming she had been sexually exploited by Epstein as a teenager. | US citizen Virginia Roberts waived her anonymity in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2011, claiming she had been sexually exploited by Epstein as a teenager. |
| She also claimed to have met Prince Andrew on several occasions, but the paper said there was no suggestion of any sexual contact between Virginia Roberts and the prince. | She also claimed to have met Prince Andrew on several occasions, but the paper said there was no suggestion of any sexual contact between Virginia Roberts and the prince. |