Ghislaine Maxwell had a private tour of Buckingham Palace organised by the Duke of York and sat on a throne, it has been reported.
A photo obtained by the Telegraph appears to show the British socialite reclining in the throne beside actor Keven Spacey in 2002.
The paper said that the pair were on a private tour of the palace organised by the Duke of York for former US president Bill Clinton.
It emerged after Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire on Thursday over allegations she helped disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, her former boyfriend, “identify, befriend and groom” girls, including one as young as 14.
The Telegraph said it was not thought that Epstein was on the palace tour when the picture was taken.
TELEGRAPH: Maxwell ‘won’t sell Andrew out’ #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/B787ByMTFV
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 3, 2020
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
“The duke’s team remains bewildered”
Meanwhile, the duke has been urged to provide information in relation to the investigation after his friend Maxwell appeared in court accused of facilitating Epstein’s sexual exploitation of underage girls.
Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, told a press conference that authorities would “welcome” a statement from the duke.
But a source close to Andrew said: “The duke’s team remains bewildered given that we have twice communicated with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the last month and to date we have had no response.”
Lawyers for some of Epstein’s alleged victims on Friday added pressure on Andrew to speak about his friendship with the Epstein, who took his own life in prison last year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Finally arrested
Spencer Coogan said his clients were “relieved” that Maxwell, daughter of late media mogul Robert Maxwell, had finally been arrested and urged Andrew to speak up about what he witnessed while visiting Epstein’s properties in New York, Palm Beach and the Virgin Islands.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I certainly think Prince Andrew has a story to tell. On behalf of the victims we have continuously asked him to step forward, step up, be a man and tell us what he knows.”
At a brief hearing on Thursday, a magistrate judge ordered Maxwell to remain in custody while she is transferred to New York for a detention hearing.
Ms Strauss claimed that the socialite had helped Epstein to exploit underage girls and “in some cases” would participate in the abuse herself.
Four of the six charges cover Maxwell’s dealings with Epstein from 1994 to 1997, when she was in an “intimate relationship” with him, according to the indictment.
These include conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
She is further charged with conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“Induced and enticed”
According to the indictment, three unnamed minors were allegedly “induced and enticed” by Maxwell, who “facilitated” for them to be groomed by Esptein at properties he owned.
These include residences in New York City, Palm Beach in Florida and Santa Fe in New Mexico, as well as Maxwell’s personal residence in London, prosecutors allege.
The court papers claim that Maxwell “developed a rapport” with the alleged victims, before encouraging them to give massages to Epstein, which often resulted in him sexually abusing the girls.
One of the girls was allegedly groomed and abused in London between 1994 and 1995, with prosecutors claiming this included a period of time when Maxwell knew she was under the age of 18.
Authorities also claim that Maxwell, who is also charged with two counts of perjury, lied when being questioned under oath in 2016.
She has previously denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of sexual misconduct by Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre
One of his alleged victims, Virginia Giuffre, claims she had sex with the duke at the socialite’s London townhouse in 2001.
Maxwell, who has known Andrew since university and introduced him to Epstein, features in the background of a picture which apparently shows the duke with his arm around Ms Giuffre, also known as Virginia Roberts.
Ms Giuffre has claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and alleges the duke had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17, still a minor under US law.
Andrew categorically denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Ms Giuffre, while his lawyers have insisted the duke has repeatedly offered to provide a witness statement to the investigation.
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