Prince Andrew has requested that a sex abuse lawsuit brought against him in New York by longtime Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre go to trial, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
In an answer to Giuffre’s complaint, Andrew’s attorneys requested the case go to trial — and asserted a number of “affirmative defenses” while denying all wrongdoing.
Andrew also specifically denied the assertion that he and Epstein’s cohort, Ghisliane Maxwell, were “close friends,” as Giuffre claimed in her suit.
Among the defenses raised were “consent” and “statute of limitations,” according to documents filed in the Southern District of New York.
“Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the Complaint, Giuffre’s claims are barred by the doctrine of consent,” Andrew’s attorney, Andrew B. Brettler, wrote in the document.
Brettler added: “Giuffre’s claims are barred in whole or in part by the applicable statute(s) of limitations.”
Giuffre sued Andrew in August 2021, claiming the embattled royal sexually abused her while she was a teen at least three times in London, New York and in the US Virgin Islands.
In each instance, Giuffre claimed she was forced to engage in the sex acts with Andrew by Epstein and Maxwell.
Giuffre claimed she “feared death or physical injury to herself” if she disobeyed their orders.
There is still opportunity for the dispute to be resolved before trial, either by the judge or through a settlement, Sarah Krissoff, a former New York federal prosecutor, said. But the case will now move into the discovery phase.
“During that phase each side has an opportunity to obtain information relevant to the case, including documents and deposition testimony,” Krissoff told The Post in an email.
“There will be another opportunity for the parties to ask the court to resolve the case, or part of the case, short of a trial, but it will be very difficult for the court to do so given the fundamental dispute between Virginia Guiffre and Prince Andrew,” she added.
“If the parties don’t reach an out of court settlement, I would expect this case to go to trial,” Krissoff said, adding that she expects Andrew to show up in New York if it does go to trial given how vigorously he has denied the allegations.
Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking and other crimes in December in Manhattan federal court, where Giuffre’s suit against Andrew was filed.
Four women who were trafficked to Epstein by Maxwell as teens testified at the trial.
Giuffre did not testify, but prosecutors introduced evidence in the case that showed Epstein and Maxwell flew the teen across the US and internationally on his private planes.
In a statement, Giuffre’s attorneys said they look forward to confronting Prince Andrew at trial.
“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,” attorney David Boies wrote.
“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,” he added.
Epstein died in a lower Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The New York City medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.