PRINCE Andrew's lawyers have been told to "stop wasting time & money" by a judge and that they should "cut out all technicalities".
Top Hollywood lawyer Andrew Brettler has been hired to represent the Duke of York in court following claims he had been served a lawsuit at his home in Windsor.
Mr Brettler told a New York court on Monday that the Duke had not been properly served the lawsuit – but a judge suggested that Prince Andrew’s lawyers were making the case “more complicated” than it was by challenging the method of service.
Judge Kaplan told Mr Brettler: “You have a pretty high degree of certainty that he can be served sooner than later. Let's cut out all the technicalities and get to the substance.
"There is a very swift way of getting to the substance promptly. But you two need to talk about that. Because I can see a lot of legal fees being spent and time being expended and delay, which ultimately may not be terribly productive for anyone.”
Meanwhile, the Queen's closest friend, Sir Timothy Coleman has passed away aged 91.
Sir Timothy, the husband of the Queen's first cousin Lady Mary Colman, was a frequent guest at Sandringham and close friend of Her Majesty.
Follow our Royal Family blog below for all the latest news and updates…
- [email protected]
SCOTTISH CHARITY WATCHDOG PROBES PRINCE CHARLES’ CHARITY
Scotland’s charity regulator has launched an investigation following claims the Prince of Wales’ charitable foundation accepted a six-figure sum from a wealthy Russian donor.
Charles wrote a letter thanking the businessman for his generous offer of more than £500,000 to the Prince’s Foundation last year, and suggested they could meet after the Covid crisis.
The charity initially received £100,000 but the total sum was reportedly rejected by the ethics committee of the foundation, whose headquarters are in Scotland, following concerns about its provenance, according to The Sunday Times.
The investigation launched by the Scottish Charity Regulator comes shortly after an alleged cash-for-honours scandal which saw Michael Fawcett temporarily step down as the foundation’s chief executive earlier this month.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Charity Regulator said: “We have been working with the Prince’s Foundation to better understand the use of the organisation’s funds, and to gain a full understanding of the work which is being undertaken by the charity’s trustees to investigate the range of issues which have been raised.
“We have written to the trustees informing them that we will investigate these matters under the powers set out in section 28 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and will follow up any additional queries as they arise.
- Joseph Gamp
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.
- Joseph Gamp
PRINCE ANDREW BELIEVES HE CAN RETURN TO PUBLIC LIFE
Andrew, 61, is yet to respond to a sex abuse civil claim lodged in a New York court a month ago.
Jeffrey Epstein’s former sex slave Virginia Giuffre accuses him of “rape in the first degree” and there have been “multiple attempts” to serve him with papers for the lawsuit.
Andrew, who fled his Windsor mansion for the Scottish Highlands on Tuesday, has previously denied any wrongdoing.
And a source said he remains “utterly convinced” that he will be able to brush off the claims.
- Joseph Gamp
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.
- Joseph Gamp
WILLIAM AND KATE GIVEN ‘HIGHER ROLES DUE TO THEIR POPULARITY’, SAYS EXPERT
Andrew Lownie, a royal expert, has claimed that Prince William and Kate Middleton have been given ‘higher roles due to their popularity’.
He told the Express : “We’re in a period of what can be called a soft regency, in effect the Queen is standing back, not doing many roles.
“The roles that she is doing are being accompanied by Prince Charles, everyone is being prepared for Charles and Camilla.
“As a result, William and Kate, who seem to be very popular, are stepping into the position that Charles and Camilla had.
“Because they are, I would say almost more popular than Charles and Camilla, they’ve probably been given a higher role.”
- Joseph Gamp
PRINCE ANDREW HIRES TOP HOLLYWOOD LAWYER TO APPEAR AT SEX ASSAULT CASE TO FIGHT VIRGINA ROBERTS’ RAPE CLAIM
Prince Andrew has hired a top Hollywood lawyer to appear at a hearing in his sex assault civil case, it’s reported.
Hours before a phone conference with his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s team, it’s believed US legal eagles representing the royal will take part.
It had been believed they’d stonewall the hearing altogether, amid claims the duke’s UK-based legal team has never intended to participate.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
PRINCE HARRY WILL TARGET CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES IN HIS £29M MEMOIR AND MAY NAME ‘ROYAL RACIST’, PAUL BURRELL CLAIMS
Paul Burrell says the Duke is “set to reveal any Camilla secrets” as he dishes the dirt in his memoir, due to be released in 2022.
The 36-year-old royal won’t hold back on the woman who cooly “stepped into Diana’s shoes” after her death, because his publishers “want their money’s worth,” according to Burrell.
But it could only exacerbate the ongoing Royal family feud as he believes Prince Charles will be “livid” if he tarnishes the Duchess of Cornwall.
The 63-year-old told Closer magazine: “The publisher, Penguin, will no doubt want their money’s worth in this book deal. That means they won’t want vagueness – they’ll want names and specifics.”
He hinted that Harry “could very well name” the much-discussed racist family member who raised concerns about how dark their son Archie’s skin could be before he was born.
Meghan made the shocking revelation during her explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, but refused to identify the individual as it would be “very damaging to them”.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
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.
- Joseph Gamp
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.
- Joseph Gamp
PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE ACCUSED OF ‘BREATHTAKING ENTITLEMENT’ OVER LILIBET’S CHRISTENING BY ROYAL EXPERT
Rumours suggest the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have requested a formal christening for baby Lilibet at Windsor Castle, Robert Jobson reports.
Lilibet Diana, who shares both the Queen’s pet name and Harry’s mother Diana’s name, was born in California in June.
It is not yet know where she will be christened, although royal commentator Robert Jobson suggests it would be “breathtaking” for Meghan and Harry to expect any kind of royal affair.
Writing in The Mirror, he said: “Now there is talk – as she is already older than her brother Archie was when he was christened – that they are pushing for a ceremony in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
“To some, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s sense of entitlement might seem breathtaking.
“They seem to be blissfully unaware of the mayhem their behaviour has caused the Queen, the monarchy and the Royal Family.”
- Joseph Gamp
FURY OVER DUKE'S 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.”
- Joseph Gamp
MONARCHY WILL DIE OUT BEFORE GEORGE HAS CHANCE TO BECOME KING, CLAIMS NOVELIST
Novelist Hilary Mantel has claimed that there are only two generations left in Britain’s monarchy, and thus Prince George will never be crowned king.
Although Ms Mantel says that she admires the determination of Queen Elizabeth, she feels that the modernisation of the world means that the royals time is running out.
The novelist, who previously branded Kate Middleton a ‘plastic, jointed doll‘ with ‘no personality of her own’ spoke to The Times about her prediction for the future of the monarchy.
As the article points out, the 69-year-old is accused of hating England, and Brexit voters since she stated she wanted to become an Irish citizen.
The novelist, best known for her Wolf Hall trilogy which followed the rise of blacksmith’s son Thomas Cromwell to Henry VIII’s chief minister, to his downfall and execution, says she admires the Queen’s determination.
- Joseph Gamp
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”.
Source: Read Full Article