So did underage girls, though the prince told Maitlis he never saw them. Or as one source put it to the Sun: “It’s a diplomatic nightmare.”. One compared Berman to a human “wrecking ball” who had destroyed trust with his disturbing and regressive manner. In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proferred.”. © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. “It’s hard to describe what it feels like to be sitting in Buckingham Palace, opposite the Queen’s son, Prince Andrew, and quizzing him about his sexual history,” she said. Over the past four months the two sides have been involved in an unhappy game of transatlantic ping pong. The prince is not a suspect. The claims were impossible, he said, because at the time he was at Pizza Express in Woking. In his Newsnight interview, Andrew described Epstein’s behaviour – the financier had a 2008 conviction for abusing a 14-year-old girl – as “unbecoming”. Late on Monday, Berman accused the prince of “falsely” portraying himself as keen to cooperate with the Epstein investigation – in other words, of lying. “Royals have appeared in court cases over the years in fairly deferential circumstances. “The Duke of York has on at least three occasions this year offered his assistance to the DoJ,” it says. The prince was under pressure to explain his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had killed himself that summer in a Manhattan jail, and to answer accusations from one of the young women whom Epstein had trafficked, Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
Her LinkedIn profile says she is “used to persuading reluctant individuals to participate in a globally renowned news programme”. "It was like watching a man in quicksand and unfortunately, I don't think anyone would have thrown him a line to get him out.". not clearly conveying his sympathy for the women, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Berman wants a sit-down interview. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. A round-up of the personalities behind the eye-opening royal interview, from the Duke’s aides to the journalist who secured the scoop, Sun 17 Nov 2019 19.35 GMT
Andrew is not and was never a criminal “target”, Blackfords stresses, adding that he was assured his dealings with the attorney’s office would remain private.
In the face of apparent stonewalling, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is now seeking help from the UK government. In addition to the FBI case, dozens of Epstein victims are seeking compensation from the financier’s estate, which is worth around $600m. It is understood that Thirsk clashed with Stein and pushed hard for Andrew to do the interview in the face of his initial scepticism, persuading him that it was the best way to draw a line under the rumours about the nature of his relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He said the prince had “completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation”. Last modified on Wed 1 Jul 2020 17.45 BST. Private secretary to Prince Andrew and director of his Pitch@Palace Global operation. Described by one colleague as a “force of nature” who thinks “the Duke has done nothing wrong … All he did was go and see his friend.”, The lead presenter of Newsnight who was widely praised for her forensic interview technique and had practised with editor Esme Wren standing in for Andrew in rehearsals. We have chosen to abide by both the letter and spirit of these rules. The interview appears to haunt the prince still, and may explain the thinking of his British legal team now embroiled in an increasingly rancorous battle with federal prosecutors in New York. The former barrister and European debating champion has previously booked interviews with former FBI director James Comey and former US president Bill Clinton, and was described on Saturday by Newsnight editor Esme Wren as “indefatigable”. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Prince Andrew expressed regret at making contact with Epstein in 2010 - flying to New York to tell him in person that the friendship was over - after the 66-year-old had been released from an 18-month prison term for prostituting minors. The prince’s advisers have not confirmed this. It was reportedly suggested that Andrew should instead focus on charitable work and then agree to two newspaper interviews next year. The same alleged sexual liaison, which Virginia Giuffre said began with the royal sweating heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp, was factually wrong, the Duke said. Under the terms of the treaty, officials could interview him on behalf of US prosecutors. He said the prince had not “followed through” on his initial offer to speak to the FBI and to the southern district of New York. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site.
“Unfortunately, the DoJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the duke has offered zero cooperation. Another says he expressed regret to friends at not clearly conveying his sympathy for the women trafficked for sex by Epstein.