Prince Andrew had 12 different phone numbers in Epstein's 'Black Book', Virginia Giuffre's US lawsuit claims

Jeffrey Epstein kept 12 different phone numbers for Prince Andrew in his “Black Book”, a lawsuit has claimed.

Accuser Virginia Giuffre has started legal action against the Duke of York for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was under 18, two decades ago.

"It is long past the time for him to be held to account," the civil suit stated.

Prince Andrew has previously “categorically” denied he abused Giuffre. A spokeswoman for the duke said “no comment” when asked to respond to the suit on Tuesday.

Lawyers for Giuffre filed the suit seeking unspecified damages at a federal court in New York, where documents claim she was “lent out for sexual purposes” by convicted sex offender Epstein, including while she was still a minor under US law.

Watch: Virginia Giuffre brings legal action against Duke of York over alleged abuse

The Queen’s second son is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell mentioned frequently throughout.

The document alleges: “Epstein’s constant access to young girls is also evidenced in his 'Black Book', a book of phone numbers and contact information listing girls to call for 'massages' in various cities, flight logs documenting his frequent travel with young girls and powerful individuals on his private plane, and troves of lewd photographs of young girls recovered from his homes.

“In his Black Book, Epstein had at least 12 different contact numbers listed for Prince Andrew.”

It is alleged that Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, was sexually abused while aged under 18 by Andrew at Maxwell’s home in London, Epstein’s New York mansion and other locations including Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands.

The lawsuit also published the infamous photo (see the top of this page) of Prince Andrew, Giuffre and Maxwell at Maxwell’s home “prior to Prince Andrew sexually abusing plaintiff”. The duke has previously said he has no memory of this photo.

It goes on to allege that at Epstein’s New York mansion, Maxwell forced Giuffre “and another victim to sit on Prince Andrew’s lap as Prince Andrew touched her”.

The suit claims that during this visit to New York, “Prince Andrew forced plaintiff to engage in sex acts against her will.”

It says Giuffre was “compelled by express or implied threats by Epstein, Maxwell, and/or Prince Andrew to engage in sexual acts with Prince Andrew", and that she "feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions" if she disobeyed the trio "due to their powerful connections, wealth, and authority”.

The document also suggests the extent of the close relationship between the trio, saying Epstein and Maxwell attended Prince Andrew's 40th birthday party in 2000, and that the duke hosted a birthday party for Maxwell – attended by Epstein – at Sandringham that same year.

Epstein was also invited to Prince Andrew's daughter's 18th birthday party in 2006, the document says, "despite Epstein being charged with procuring a minor for prostitution only one month prior".

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges in a Manhattan federal court, where she faces trial in November. Epstein took his life in a federal jail in the borough in August 2019, a month after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges.

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Prince Andrew: What are the 'factual allegations' stated in Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit?

In a Newsnight interview with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis in November 2019, Prince Andrew denied claims that he slept with Giuffre on three separate occasions, saying: “I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”

The fallout from the interview saw the royal criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the disgraced financier.

Andrew quit his royal duties and publicly promised to cooperate with US authorities investigating Epstein’s crimes, though there has since been a war of words between his camp and American authorities over his availability to answer questions.