Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview featured a number of strange admissions, including his excuse to his whereabouts on the day that Virginia Roberts claimed that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her for sex with him in London.
The Duke of York claimed he could not have had sex with a teenage girl in the London home of his ‘good friend’ British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell because he was at home after attending a children’s party at Pizza Express in Woking, England.
He was asked why he could remember going for something so mundane as a pizza 18 years on, and he added: ‘Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is a very unusual thing for me to do. I’ve never been . . . I’ve only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly.
"As soon as somebody reminded me of it, I went, 'Oh yes I remember that'".
Soon after the interview, a statement by the Prince read:
Prince Andrew's Statement: Statement by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG
It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required
