Prince Andrew ‘on collision course with Palace’ after demanding trial by jury over Virginia Giuffre’s sex assault case

PRINCE Andrew is “on a collision course with the palace” after he sensationally demanded a trial by jury overnight in his battle against sex abuse claims, a source has said.

Court documents from New York show the royal denies all of the allegations against him and “hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint”.

It’s the first time Andrew, 62, who has been stripped of his royal titles by the Queen, has publicly vowed to fight the case in court.

The Duke will also no longer be able to use ‘His Royal Highness’ – and will face his US lawsuit as a “private citizen” meaning he can’t hide behind royal privileges. 

But despite his split with The Firm, it’s thought that his decision to face a jury will mean he will butt heads with the royal family.

A source told Mail Online: “Andrew is on collision course with the Palace over this.” 

Meanwhile other sources close to the Prince say he is now preparing to give a seven-hour witness statement to lawyers by video call.

A royal insider described the case as a “marathon not a sprint” and the Duke of York is telling Virginia, “I’ll see you in court”.

Ms Giuffre, 38, has accused the Duke of forcing her to sleep with him more than 20 years ago at the home of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

The mum-of-three alleged in court documents that she was procured by Maxwell, 57, the daughter of disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell, as a teenage “sex slave” for Epstein.

In an 11 page document, lawyers for Andrew set out the duke’s response to Ms Giuffre’s allegations.

It says he denies the allegation that he sexually abused Ms Giuffre when she was under 18 years of age.

ARGUMENTS TO DISMISS

His legal reply does admit his links to billionaire paedophile  Jeffrey Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

The document, submitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, also sets out a series of defences “without assuming the burden of proof, and expressly denying any and all wrongdoing”.

This includes arguments that the claim should be dismissed because Ms Giuffre is a permanent resident of Australia and that by entering into the 2009 agreement with Jeffrey Epstein she “waived the claims now asserted in the complaint”.

The document concludes: “Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the Complaint.”

The Duke of York filed a point by point rebuttal of Ms Giuffre’s abuse allegations five months after she served the writ.

Legal expert Mark Stephens told The Sun that the filing was “classic brinkmanship” from Andrew and his legal team.

Solicitor Mr Stephens said: “He is trying to have his cake and eat it, to go with a modern theme.”

It comes just weeks after Judge Lewis Kaplan threw out his lawyers attempts to derail the case by lodging a motion to dismiss claiming she had signed an agreement in 2009 not to pursue.

Andrew was previously thought to be seeking an out-of-court settlement with Roberts after Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled he must stand trial in the US.

The figure was estimated to be up to £10million ($13million) — the amount he will get from selling his chalet in Verbier, .

In 2019, Ms Guiffre claimed she had sex with Prince Andrew in a toilet when she was 17, after a night where he had allegedly been plying her with vodka in a posh London club.

SEE YOU IN COURT

The royal has vehemently denied the accusations against him, branding them “false” and “without foundation”.

When questioned about the claims during his car crash Newsnight interview, Andrew said he was at Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, when the assault is alleged to have happened.

He also cast doubt on Virginia’s recollection of the night.

But in September 2021, Ms Giuffre’s legal team confirmed they had issued Andrew with a writ ahead of his pre-trial in New York.

Andrew is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, brought under New York state’s Child Victims Act, though Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell are mentioned frequently throughout.

Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit stated: “In this country no person, whether president or prince, is above the law, and no person, no matter how powerless or vulnerable, can be deprived of the law’s protection.

“Twenty years ago Prince Andrew’s wealth, power, position, and connections enabled him to abuse a frightened, vulnerable child with no one there to protect her. It is long past the time for him to be held to account.”

Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer David Boies welcomed the prospect of a public showdown tonight.

He said: “Prince Andrew’s Answer continues his approach of denying any knowledge or information concerning the claims against him, and purporting to blame the victim of the abuse for somehow bringing it on herself.

“We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms. Giuffre for her own abuse at his deposition and at trial.”