The original photo of Prince Andrew and his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre posing together at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London residence has apparently been requested by Prince Andrew’s lawyers.
According to sources speaking to the UK’s I newspaper, one of Andrew’s US-based lawyers, Andrew Brettler, has arranged for a photographic specialist to study the image in an attempt to cast doubt on its legitimacy in the sex assault claim.
After being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell, Giuffre, now 38, is suing the Duke of York in New York for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old.
The lady claims the famed photo was taken upstairs at Maxwell’s London mansion in 2001 after she and Andrew, Epstein, and Maxwell went to a nightclub.
A cheerful Prince Andrew holds Ms. Robert’s waist in his arm, with Maxwell standing behind them in the doorway of her London apartment.
Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew’s accuser, has been asked to hand over their iconic photo.
The photo of the Queen’s son with his arm around Giuffre’s waist has long been claimed to be a forgery.
Prince Andrew said in an interview with BBC, “I have no recollection of that photograph ever having been taken.
“It’s a photograph of a photograph of a photograph. Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored.”
During that interview, Andrew also stated that the photo was not genuine because “as a member of the royal family,” he isn’t expected to hug people.
Giuffre has stated that she turned the infamous photo over to the FBI in 2011.
Andrew is set to testify in London next month as part of his defense in the continuing litigation.
Andrew was accused of abusing Giuffre at least three times between 2000 and 2002 in London, New York, and the US Virgin Islands, according to Giuffre, who filed the case in August of last year.
He has refuted the charges numerous times.