Royal Family news latest: Judge warns Prince Andrew to 'stop wasting time' as lawyers say assault claims are 'baseless'

September 14, 2021

PRINCE Andrew has hired a top Hollywood lawyer to appear at a hearing in his sex assault civil case.

Hours before a phone conference with his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s team, it's been confirmed that US legal eagle Andrew B. Brettler will represent the royal.

In a notice submitted to the court today by the royal's legal team, it's confirmed that attorney Mr Brettler "enters this special appearance on behalf of Prince Andrew."

The lawyer will attend the pre-trial hearing, set to begin at 9pm UK time, "for the purpose for contesting purported service of process and challenging jurisdiction."

Andrew, who vehemently denies accusations, took part in a shooting party yesterday.

He hosted guests at the Queen’s private 550-acre Balmoral estate despite the legal challenge facing him.

Follow our Royal Family blog below for all the latest news and updates…

[email protected]6 minutes ago
WHAT IS ANDREW ACCUSED OF?
Virginia Roberts — who now uses her married name Giuffre — launched a legal battle against Prince Andrew on August 10, 2021, accusing him of sexually abusing her at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion.
She said it was “past the time for him to be held to account” for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.
But Prince Andrew has previously strenuously denied her claim he had sex with her.
Lawyers for Ms Giuffre filed the civil suit seeking various damages at a federal court in New York, where the court documents claim she was “lent out for sexual purposes” by convicted sex offender Epstein including while she was still a minor under US law.
The lawsuit specified that that Ms Giuffre was “forced to have sexual intercourse with Prince Andrew against her will” and lists offences including “rape in the first degree.”
Andrew is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, brought under New York state’s Child Victims Act, though Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell are mentioned frequently throughout.
[email protected]16 minutes ago
EXPLAINED: WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PRINCE ANDREW SERVED STORY?
Lawyers acting for Ms Giuffre insist they have served papers on Prince Andrew for a sex assault lawsuit by leaving them with police at the gate of Windsor Royal Lodge on August 27.
But sources said the Prince’s team believe they had laid a trap for her lawyers and would argue the summons had not been properly served as it should be delivered via a British court official.
Yet lawyers for Ms Giuffre — now 38 but just 17 at the time of the alleged rape in the first degree — are certain they have followed the correct protocol.
US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, overseeing the case, will rule on whether he has been served. Ms Giuffre’s people have talked with Johanna Sjoberg and Steve Scully, said to be key witnesses, in recent weeks, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
Her lawyer David Boies said: “We’ve spoken to a woman who saw them at the Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion and a man who witnessed them on the island.”
[email protected]26 minutes ago
EXPLAINED: HOW IS PRINCE ANDREW LINKED TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN?
The Duke of York said he first met Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire financier, in 1999 with the now dead banker once describing him as his “best friend.”
That was also the year the UK press reported on the pair’s friendship.
The pair are thought to have flown together on Epstein’s private jet to the US Virgin Islands.
And in June 2000, Epstein and his Brit “madam” ex, Maxwell were both guests at a party hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Prince Andrew also became close with Maxwell – pictured together that same year at a Halloween party hosted by Heidi Klum in New York.
Just over a month later, in December 2000, the then 40-year-old prince, threw Ms Maxwell a surprise birthday party at Sandringham, with Epstein among the guests.

[email protected]36 minutes ago
WOLF HALL AUTHOR HILARY MANTEL SAYS SHE ADMIRES THE QUEEN’S DETERMINATION
Speaking of Queen Elizabeth,95 and Prince Charles she said: “I think they do it as well as anyone possibly could take it as seriously as anyone could.”
However, she then went on to say that she predicted the monarchy would only last another two generations due to modernisation.
“It’s very hard to understand the thinking behind the monarchy in the modern world when people are just seen as celebrities,” she said.
She predicted that Prince George, third in line to the throne after his great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth 95, grandfather Charles 72, and father William 38, would never be anointed, king.
[email protected]46 minutes ago
NO APOLOGIES
PRINCE Harry said his grandad Prince Philip was “unapologetically him” as he and William pay touching tributes in a trailer for a new interview.
A “unique portrait” of Prince Philip and his life will air on September 22 on BBC One – as the Royal Family pays tribute to the beloved Duke who passed away earlier this year.
In anticipation for the documentary, the BBC released a preview showing four of the Royals reminiscing on Prince Philip’s life along with clips of the Duke with his family.
The emotional trailer begins with Prince William saying: “He’s always been a huge presence behind everything we’re done really.”
And then Prince Harry, wearing a white buttoned-down shirt, adds: “What you see is what you got with my grandfather, he was unapologetically him.”
[email protected]56 minutes ago
FURY OVER DUKES HANDLING OF SEX CASE
Royal aides are said to be furious the Duke of York has intruded on the Queen’s private summer retreat and made her look like she is harbouring him after he fled his own home in Windsor last week.
One royal source told the Sun said: “This is so brazen it is unbelievable. Prince Andrew is carrying on like nothing has happened and as if he hasn’t got a care in the world.
“It has been bad enough that he appears to have been seeking refuge at Balmoral, where the Queen is trying to have quiet time after a tough year, but to host a shooting party, with some dubious guests shows disrespect to the monarchy. And it is also tone deaf as if he does not care about what is going on with the legal case.”
[email protected]Today, 08:20
CLOSE TIES
Meghan’s close political ties include Jill Biden, who Harry first met at a reception for British and US wounded warriors in Washington, when Joe was serving as Barack Obama’s Vice President.
Since then, Harry and Jill have met up on a number of occasions, with her even coming over to London to support the royal’s Invictus Games.
The pair are understood to have bonded over their military ties – with Jill’s stepson Beau, a former army major, tragically passing away in 2015 from brain cancer.
In 2014, Jill travelled to London for Harry’s inaugural Invictus Games, where they were pictured smiling together during several of the events.
Joe Biden joked he was “a little worried” about how much time Harry and Jill were spending together, something the then-Vice President repeated in 2016 when his wife met the Prince at the Games in Orlando.
“Jill went to London for the last Games. She spent too much damn time with Prince Harry,” he said.
Read the article in full here.
[email protected]Today, 08:10
QUEEN TO SPLIT HER TIME BETWEEN BUCKINGHAM PALACE AND WINDSOR CASTLE AFTER SUMMER BREAK, EXPERT CLAIMS
THE Queen is to split her time between Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace after her summer break, sources say.
It is suggested the arrangement is to fend off potential criticism of the £369million refurbishment bill of the palace.
Expert Roya Nikkhah said: “Otherwise many people would think, ‘What’s the point’ of the refurb?’ ”
Her Majesty, 95, has been at Balmoral since June — her first stay there since Prince Philip died in April.
She spent much of the pandemic at Windsor in Berkshire, but is expected to spend more time in London when she gets back.
[email protected]Today, 08:00
CHARLES COULD REWRITE CONSTITUTION AND LET WILLIAM TAKE POWER AFTER QUEEN DIES, DIANA’S FORMER VOICE COACH CLAIMS
The Prince of Wales is next in line to the throne, but Stewart Pearce – who worked with Diana for two years – believes he may abdicate the "difficult task" and allow his son to reign.
He told the Daily Star: "She (the Queen) is preparing to leave, and when she leaves the whole psycho-physical nature of monarchy will change.
"And who knows, constitutional law may be rewritten.
"He (Charles) may not take the throne, he may hand it to his young son.
"He doesn’t want to do it, such a difficult task."
According to Mr Pearce, William has been "part of the conversation" since he was 11 or 12 years old.
It comes after Charles and William reportedly lead a summit to decide the future of the monarchy following the death of Prince Philip in April.

[email protected]Today, 07:30
KATE & WILLIAM ‘TOOK GEORGE, CHARLOTTE & LOUIS TO FRANCE FOR THE WEDDING OF DUCHESS’ BROTHER JAMES MIDDLETON’
James tied the knot with partner, Alizée Thevenet, and his nephews and niece, George, eight, Charlotte, six, and Louis, three, were said to be in attendance.
ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship took to Twitter to say: “I hear William and Kate *did attend the wedding.
“And took George, Charlotte and Louis too…(Sounds like a nice weekend).”
[email protected]Today, 07:00
FURY OVER DUKES HANDLING OF SEX CASE
Royal aides are said to be furious the Duke of York has intruded on the Queen’s private summer retreat and made her look like she is harbouring him after he fled his own home in Windsor last week.
One royal source told the Sun said: “This is so brazen it is unbelievable. Prince Andrew is carrying on like nothing has happened and as if he hasn’t got a care in the world.
“It has been bad enough that he appears to have been seeking refuge at Balmoral, where the Queen is trying to have quiet time after a tough year, but to host a shooting party, with some dubious guests shows disrespect to the monarchy. And it is also tone deaf as if he does not care about what is going on with the legal case.”
[email protected]Today, 06:30
HARRY TO MEET FIRST LADY TONIGHT TO HONOUR WARRIOR GAMES
The Duke of Sussex will honour Warrior Games athletes, their families, and caregivers after the 2021 event was postponed due to Covid.
The duo will be joined by Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation tonight at 6pm ET (11pm GMT), the White House said in a statement.
It comes after the 2021 Warrior Games were cancelled due to Covid, having been due to start this week in Orlando, Florida.
Tonight’s event will be Harry’s first event with Dr Jill since she became first lady and since Harry and his wife Meghan moved to the United States.
The Duchess of Sussex, however, was not included in the list of participants for Monday’s event.
[email protected]Today, 06:00
PRINCE ANDREW WON’T SEND LAWYERS TO SEX ASSAULT CASE TODAY AND WILL SWERVE THE HEARING
His US lawyers will not be joining the phone conference with his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s team, as they continue to stone-wall the case.
The duke’s UK-based legal team has never intended to participate.
His accuser’s lawyers insist he has been served court papers in accordance with English and international law.
They say a copy of the summons was emailed to Royal Household staff and his lawyers were informed by email and post.
However, Gary Bloxsome, the duke’s lawyer, claimed correct procedure was not followed and that the papers should be served through a British court official.
[email protected]Today, 05:30
NO APOLOGIES
PRINCE Harry said his grandad Prince Philip was “unapologetically him” as he and William pay touching tributes in a trailer for a new interview.
A “unique portrait” of Prince Philip and his life will air on September 22 on BBC One – as the Royal Family pays tribute to the beloved Duke who passed away earlier this year.
In anticipation for the documentary, the BBC released a preview showing four of the Royals reminiscing on Prince Philip’s life along with clips of the Duke with his family.
The emotional trailer begins with Prince William saying: “He’s always been a huge presence behind everything we’re done really.”
And then Prince Harry, wearing a white buttoned-down shirt, adds: “What you see is what you got with my grandfather, he was unapologetically him.”
[email protected]Today, 05:00
THOMAS MARKLE’S LETTER TO HIS SISTER (CONTINUED)
In May 2018, he wrote an explosive open letter telling Meghan to call off the upcoming nuptials, blasting it as a “fake fairy tale”.
However, he reportedly later backtracked on the letter, which he said was written in a “moment of madness”.
Meanwhile, in the first promo for the show, Thomas claimed he had warned Prince Harry about his half-sister before they married.
“I’m Meghan Markle’s brother, I’m the biggest brother of them all,” he said in the introduction video.

[email protected]Today, 04:30
MEGHAN MARKLE’S BROTHER WRITES HER ANOTHER EXPLOSIVE OPEN LETTER
Meghan Markle’s brother has written another letter to her and Prince Harry, a trailer for Big Brother VIP has revealed.
The second teaser, released today, shows Thomas Markle Jr. sitting in the diary room of the reality show announcing plans to write to his half-sister.
“You know I’m famous for writing letters,” the 55-year-old Thomas says in the trailer sitting beside former Survivor contestant Luke Toki.
“I’m gonna write a letter to Meghan,” he explains as he leans down onto a table in the diary room and puts pen to paper.
“Dear Meghan and Harry,” he begins. “The first thing I want to say to both of you…”
His voiceover then trails off and a question appears on the screen that reads: “What’s in the letter?”
[email protected]Today, 04:00
MEGHAN AND HARRY’S AMBITIONS HAVE “BACKFIRED” AND THEY ARE MORE TRAPPED THAN EVER, ROYAL AUTHOR SAYS
Duncan Larcombe, the author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, says the couple moved to LA to try to forge their own path but their mounting unpopularity means it may have backfired.
He said:“If freedom is being able to say what you want, when you want, to whoever you choose to speak to, then Harry has found a degree of freedom. But if freedom is having good will behind you to live in peace, being able to live life as you want it or being at peace with the people you’ve rowed with, then freedom has not been achieved.
“It’s backfired. Harry and Meghan seem to have totally isolated themselves – they’re more trapped than ever in this new life they’ve created.”
[email protected]Today, 03:30
WOLF HALL AUTHOR HILARY MANTEL SAYS SHE ADMIRES THE QUEEN’S DETERMINATION
Speaking of Queen Elizabeth,95 and Prince Charles she said: “I think they do it as well as anyone possibly could take it as seriously as anyone could.”
However, she then went on to say that she predicted the monarchy would only last another two generations due to modernisation.
“It’s very hard to understand the thinking behind the monarchy in the modern world when people are just seen as celebrities,” she said.
She predicted that Prince George, third in line to the throne after his great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth 95, grandfather Charles 72, and father William 38, would never be anointed, king.
[email protected]Today, 03:00
WHAT HAS ANDREW SAID ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS?
The Prince has strenuously denied all allegations brought against him.
Buckingham Palace strongly denied the allegation in 2015 saying "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" by the Duke was "categorically untrue".
It has consistently denied the allegations, reinforcing that statement in 2019 by saying "Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.
"It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation."
Prince Andrew added: "At no stage during the limited time I spent with [Epstein] did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction."
All the allegations about Prince Andrew were struck from the court record in 2015.
They were described by the judge as being "immaterial and impertinent".
[email protected]Today, 02:30
HOW IS ANDREW LINKED TO EPSTEIN?
The Duke of York said he first met Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire financier, in 1999 with the now dead banker once describing him as his "best friend."
That was also the year the UK press reported on the pair's friendship.
The pair are thought to have flown together on Epstein's private jet to the US Virgin Islands.
And in June 2000, Epstein and his Brit "madam" ex, Maxwell were both guests at a party hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Prince Andrew also became close with Maxwell – pictured together that same year at a Halloween party hosted by Heidi Klum in New York.
Just over a month later, in December 2000, the then 40-year-old prince, threw Ms Maxwell a surprise birthday party at Sandringham, with Epstein among the guests.
[email protected]Today, 02:00
WHAT IS ANDREW ACCUSED OF?
Virginia Roberts — who now uses her married name Giuffre — launched a legal battle against Prince Andrew on August 10, 2021, accusing him of sexually abusing her at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion.
She said it was "past the time for him to be held to account" for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.
But Prince Andrew has previously strenuously denied her claim he had sex with her.
Lawyers for Ms Giuffre filed the civil suit seeking various damages at a federal court in New York, where the court documents claim she was "lent out for sexual purposes" by convicted sex offender Epstein including while she was still a minor under US law.
The lawsuit specified that that Ms Giuffre was “forced to have sexual intercourse with Prince Andrew against her will” and lists offences including “rape in the first degree."
Andrew is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, brought under New York state's Child Victims Act, though Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell are mentioned frequently throughout.

[email protected]Today, 01:30
MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY’S EXPLOSIVE OPRAH INTERVIEW MISSES OUT ON EMMY TO STANLEY TUCCI’S FOOD SHOW
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell chat with Oprah Winfrey was up against Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman, in the best hosted nonfiction series category.
The interview, which was watched by more than 49million people globally in the first three days after it aired, saw the couple raise a number of controversial issues concerning their life in the Royal Family.
They claimed a member of the family had spoken of their concern about the colour baby Archie's skin would be.
And Harry spoke of the rift between him and his father, which at one point he said led to Prince Charles "not taking may calls".
The couple also accused Buckingham Palace of playing down Meghan's suicidal thoughts and said they decided to step away from royal life as a result of the issues.
But despite sending shock waves through the monarchy, the CBS interview was beaten by Tucci's six part CNN series on Sunday.
[email protected]Today, 01:00
‘RUNNING TO MUMMY’
A separate source said Andrew angered senior courtiers by travelling 500 miles to the Highlands on Tuesday with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
They said: “It looks like he is running to mummy and that she is almost harbouring him. No one wants Andrew near Balmoral. It looks like he is hiding behind a woman who is approaching 100 years old.
“He needs to pull his socks up and face his responsibilities. Going for flight instead of fight is making him look irresponsible and guilty, even if he isn’t.”
[email protected]13th Sep 2021, 00:30
RETURN SERVE
PRINCE Andrew’s legal team have reportedly claimed that he hasn’t been legally served by his sexual abuse accuser Virginia Roberts – and plan to get the case tossed out.
Lawyers for Roberts told The Sun on Friday that they had served the prince with papers for their sex assault lawsuit.
The Duke of York, 61, was served at his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor last month, according to a document filed on Friday.
Roberts, 38, who is one of the most well-known Jeffrey Epstein victims, is accusing the prince of abusing her three times when she was under the age of 18.
Andrew, however, has strongly denied the claims in the past and has said he doesn’t recall meeting Roberts – who also goes by her married name Giuffre.
His lawyers claim the court papers were not properly served and plan to boycott a Monday court hearing, it was reported.
[email protected]13th Sep 2021, 00:00
EMMA RADUCANU SAYS SHE WILL ‘FRAME LETTER FROM THE QUEEN’
Emma Raducanu has revealed her plans to frame the letter she received from the Queen following her US Open triumph on Saturday.
The 18-year-old sensationally fired her way to glory on her Flushing Meadows debut with a straight sets victory over Leylah Fernandez in New York. And among the plethora of congratulations messages for Raducanu was one from the Queen herself.
The teenager was taken aback by the words from Her Majesty and insists she will cherish the letter.
She said: “It meant everything to get a message from Her Majesty. She’s such a great inspiration and role model for the whole country so to have a note from her. I was extremely honoured and very very grateful that she took notice of my tennis. I can’t believe it. I’m maybe going to frame that letter or something.”

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