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Prince Andrew (left) holds Virginia Giuffre (middle) in his arms, next to him is Ghislaine Maxwell (right): The photo should be checked
Photo: US District Court/SDNY/AFP
Virginia Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II's second son, of sexually abusing her when she was a minor.
In the process, Andrew's attorneys are now demanding that they be shown an important photograph that is considered evidence.
You seem to doubt its authenticity.
The photo shows Prince Andrew holding Giuffre in his arms.
The photo is said to have been taken in 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell's London home.
Maxwell can be seen in the background.
She is the ex-partner of US businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was found guilty of sex trafficking with minors at the end of December.
Giuffre is said to be one of her and Epstein's victims, and the two are said to have referred her to Andrew for abuse on several occasions.
The indictment filed by Giuffre's attorneys in New York said the picture was taken before Andrew molested Giuffre.
Expert to check photo
Andrew denies the allegations.
According to the British newspapers "Times" and "i", his lawyers are now demanding that the original photo be shown to them.
According to reports, they doubt the authenticity and want to have the picture checked by an expert.
Giuffre had already been approached about the photo in a 2016 lawsuit against Maxwell.
At the time, she reportedly said she briefly turned the photo over to the FBI in 2011.
She last saw it in 2015.
Both Giuffre and Andrew are expected to testify under oath in the abuse trial.
Andrew's attorneys plan to question Giuffre in April.
Andrew is scheduled to testify under oath before Giuffre's lawyers at a "neutral venue" in London on March 10.
The survey is expected to last two days, according to the PA news agency.
Both sides must decide by July 28 whether they want to risk a civil trial.
Out-of-court settlement possible
The prince recently announced that he would face a jury trial.
A document filed by his attorneys in court in New York dismisses allegations that Andrew committed sexual violence against Giuffre when he was a minor and lists 11 reasons why the civil suit should be dismissed.
This process would then probably begin in the fall in New York.
An out-of-court settlement, for which Andrew would have to pay the plaintiff millions of pounds, is still possible.
Most recently, the Queen also distanced himself and stripped Andrew of his military ranks.
The prince will defend himself in the US process as a private citizen and will no longer take on any public royal duties, Buckingham Palace said in January.
ptz/dpa
