Prince Andrew’s lawyers bid to keep evidence secret in royal’s legal battle with Virginia Giuffre

Prince Andrew’s lawyers have asked to keep evidence secret in the royal’s legal battle with a woman who is suing him for sexual assault.

American lawyer Andrew Brettler, representing the Duke, wrote to US District Judge Lewis Kaplan requesting to keep ‘sealed’ Andrew’s response to some of Virginia Giuffre’s claims which have so far remained confidential, reports The Times.

He said the bid was made ‘without prejudice’ to Andrew’s right to question the appropriateness of a conditional arrangement Giuffre made with the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, who she says also abused her.

Giuffre, aged 38 and 17 at the time of the alleged abuse, claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew, 61, on three occasions in 2001, when he was aged 30.

Lawyers for the Duke, who has consistently and vehemently denied her claims, are scheduled to argue for a dismissal of the lawsuit at a hearing before Judge Kaplan in Manhattan on January 4, 2022.

The report came shortly after the Duke was seen sharing a joke and laughing while on a horse ride with two friends in the grounds of Windsor Castle yesterday.  

The Duke of York was pictured breaking out in a huge smile as he rode across the grounds surrounding the castle with two fellow riders

Giuffre sued Andrew for unspecified damages in August, saying he forced her to have sex at the London home of former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

She also accused him of abusing her at Epstein’s homes in Manhattan and the US Virgin Islands.  

Andrew has ‘unequivocally’ denied Giuffre’s claims and accused her of seeking ‘another payday’ in her drive to profit from her association with Epstein. 

Meanwhile, in a separate legal case, friends and family of alleged ‘madam’ Maxwell have asked to remain anonymous if they testify in her defence when the trial continues later this week.

Maxwell, who could face an 80-year prison sentence if found guilty of six sex trafficking charges, will begin the ‘fight for her life’ in New York on Thursday when her lawyers launch her defence case.

The socialite stands accused of procuring women and underage girls for the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She vehemently denies the charges.

Virginia Giuffre (pictured above), aged 38 and 17 at the time of the alleged abuse, claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew, 61, on three occasions in 2001, when he was aged 30

Giuffre (pictured after the hearing in the criminal case against Epstein in August 2019) sued Andrew for unspecified damages in August, saying he forced her to have sex at the London home of former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

The prosecution rested its case on Friday after calling Annie Farmer, who testified that she was fondled and abused by Maxwell when she was 14.

Christian Everdell, a lawyer representing Maxwell, asked the court to allow some defence witnesses to withhold their real names, as they had requested, saying: ‘People who testify might get a lot of unwanted attention, especially if they are testifying on behalf of Ms Maxwell’.

Judge Alison Nathan said she would consider the request.

During several bail hearings, Maxwell’s friends and relatives wrote anonymously to the court pleading for her to be granted bail and vouching for her good character.

Maxwell, who could face an 80-year prison sentence if found guilty of six sex trafficking charges, will begin the ‘fight for her life’ in New York on Thursday when her lawyers launch her defence case

The prosecution rested its case on Friday after calling Annie Farmer (pictured), who testified that she was fondled and abused by Maxwell when she was 14

A lawyer associated with the case said: ‘People’s lives have been destroyed by having their names linked to Ghislaine’s.

‘She would support any move to protect those prepared to speak on her behalf. She is innocent and determined to prove it but is anxious no more lives and reputations are ruined.’

The defence is expected to last two or three days, which means the case could go to the jury before Christmas. Maxwell’s lawyers fear jurors might then rush to deliver a verdict before the holidays.

MailOnline has reached out to Andrew’s lawyer for comment.