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Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, who allegedly spent time together at Buckingham Palace (Picture: Camera Press)
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Ghislaine
Maxwell, the woman accused of recruiting girls for Jeffry Epstein’s network of
sex slaves, made secret visits to Buckingham Palace to see Prince Andrew, a
former Met Police officer claimed.
Paul Page, who served in the
Royal Protection Command, claimed Prince Andrew ‘abused’ his position at
Buckingham Palace when it came to having female visitors.
Page made his
allegations during a 2009 trial when he was accused of a £3million investment
fraud, which he was found guilty of.
The evidence, in a defence statement, was
never disclosed to the jury but has now been obtained by the Daily Mirror.
The
paper has reported a string of allegations Page made against former colleagues
and bosses. He claimed: ‘It was not just the royalty protection officers who
abused their position, members of the Royal Household also frequently did.
‘The
biggest culprit was Prince Andrew. Andrew would often have lady friends come to
visit, including frequent visits by Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of the
disgraced late Robert Maxwell.’
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The pair became friends after Prince Andrews spilt from wife, Sarah Ferguson, in 1996 (Picture: PA)
Maxwell has been accused of acting as Epstein’s ‘madam’. She
has denied those allegations.
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The millionaire killed himself in prison this month after
being accused of sex trafficking and was facing 45 years in jail.
Page claimed Prince Andrew became verbally abusive when
officers challenged him for not signing guests in the ‘gate book’ when entering
the Palace.
Page, who was given six years in jail for his crime, also
alleged that officers drove Prince Andrew’s female visitors home ‘when that was
a clear dereliction of their duties’.
Prince Andrew, 59, has featured in claims by Epstein’s teenage
‘sex slave’ Virginia Giuffre, then Roberts, that she was paid to sleep with him
three times.
He ‘categorically’ denies the allegations. There is no
suggestion any of the female visitors referred to by Page were underage.
Former Chief Superintendent and Head of Royal Protection Dai
Davies, who was Page’s boss, confirmed the Prince would often have female
company, but said it wasn’t against protocol to not sign guests in.
He said of the female visitor claims: ‘This did happen. Royals
can bring their own guests into the Palace unvetted and unchecked.
That’s their prerogative.
It is their home. ‘Unless there was anything that would give cause for concern
royal officers could not intervene.’
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Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell\’s townhouse in London in 2001 (Picture: Rex Features)
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He added: ‘He [Prince Andrew] has been known to be abrupt with
police, including myself on occasions.
‘It’s fair to say and well-documented that he was involved
with a number of fairly glamorous good looking young ladies but I have never
been aware, then or since, that any were underage.’
A Buckingham Palace Spokesperson said: ‘During the trial,
which resulted in a conviction for fraud, Mr Page made a series of allegations
about the Royal Household and members of the Royal Family, none of which were
substantiated.’
Prince Andrew, 59, became friendly with Epstein and his
alleged accomplice Maxwell after his divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996.
Addressing his alleged links to Epstein’s crimes, Buckingham
Palace said: ‘Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically
untrue.
‘The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of
Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes… and the suggestion he would condone,
participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.
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