Prince Andrew says he is 'appalled' by sex abuse charges against Epstein days after video showed him inside millionaire's mansion
The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, has broken his silence in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and has said he is "appalled" by the sex abuse claims against his former friend. Prince Andrew had released a statement post the emergence of new footage which showed him inside the pedophile's mansion in 2010.
The video footage had been dated to December 6, 2010, which was also around the time that Epstein and Andrew were pictured in Central Park, New York. In the video, Prince Andrew can be seen looking out from behind a large door of the mansion waving good-bye to a woman as Epstein leaves in a car. The Buckingham Palace released a statement and said, "The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes."
"His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent," the statement continued. After the new video had emerged, a source spoke to the DailyMail and said that Prince Andrew looked very relaxed and at ease at Epstein's house. "There were girls coming and going. One, who came out of the house with Epstein about an hour before Prince Andrew said goodbye to the brunette, was tiny and shivering," the source revealed.
The source also remembered seeing a constant band of girls and women going in and out of the house. The insider also added that it was very chilling to see given that everyone knew that Epstein was a convicted pedophile and was flaunting his lifestyle in plain sight. Recalling seeing Prince Andrew, the source shared that he looked at ease and said a few words to the girl who then walked off down the street. "If I hadn't known it was Prince Andrew, I would have thought he owned the place. He looked so comfortable and relaxed as he stood there at the door," the insider revealed.
Recent reports also reveal that the Duke of York had also hosted Epstein and his entourage at the Balmoral. Buckingham Palace has also issued strong denials about a woman who claims that she was forced to have sex with him while she was underage. Virginia Roberts has alleged in court documents that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was just 17 years old. She claimed that she had sex with Andrew three times in London, at Epstein's New York home, and at an orgy on his private island in the Caribbean.
The Buckingham palace said, "Any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors' by the duke was 'categorically untrue."
As reported by The Sun, Prince Andrew's former wife Sarah Ferguson has taken him to Spain to look after him after he panicked following Epstein's death. They were seen arriving at the Malaga Airport earlier this week and were driven to a resort in a limousine. The pair have holidayed at the resort since 2009. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are currently keeping a low profile and are at a luxury Sotogrande resort sparking rumors that the pair may reunite.