Duke of York, Prince Andrew is turning to shamed actor Kevin Spacey in a bid to clear his name.
It comes as the Duke attempts to distance himself from Ghislaine Maxwell who was recently found guilty of five charges of sex trafficking.
Since the 1980s, the Duke of York has been pictured with the disgraced socialite and former girlfriend of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The pair partied together as well as jetting off on holiday with Maxwell also attending several royal residences - reports The Mirror.
However, responding to accusations from Virginia Giuffre, the Queen's second born son dismissed any notion that the pair were close pals.
Images have also emerged where Maxwell can be seen sitting alongside Spacey in the throne room of Buckingham Palace 20 years ago in 2002.
While the VIP tour was organised by Andrew — he wants Spacey to tell jurors it was he who invited pal Maxwell, not the Duke, a source told The Sun.
The insider said: "If Kevin can convince a jury he was the crucial link with Ghislaine, rather than Andrew, it distances the Prince from her somewhat — and that’s crucial.
“Andrew also believes such a gifted actor and public speaker could be a very compelling asset in front of a jury.”
The Duke of York has hit back at accusations of rape and sexual assault made by his accuser Virginia Giuffre, who was this month handed the right to take the Queen’s son to trial in the United States.
In his first official response to the court regarding claims made against him last August, the Queen’s son issued 41 straight denials of Ms Guiffre’s allegations, as well as 40 instances in which, his lawyers said, "lacks sufficient information to admit or deny" the allegations.
Andrew, 61, rejected all allegations of wrongdoing and demanded to have a “trial by jury” as sources close to the Duke told The Mirror he is “committed to clearing his name”.
Ms Guiffre, now 38, claims she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions in 2001 when 17 and was trafficked around the world to be used as a “sex slave” by the Duke’s paedophile pal, the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
She said: “He needs to be held accountable. We need to show the world that the rich and the mighty can fall too.”
In a further 40 statements, Andrew suggested that he “lacks sufficient information to admit or deny” other allegations, including an infamous picture of himself with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, as she was then known, at the home of his long time pal and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
One royal source said opting for a jury trial was "the ultimate gamble".
Media lawyer Mark Stephens said Andrew will face detailed questions of a sexual nature when he gives evidence, whether in person or via video link, in the jury trial in the autumn.
Commenting on lurid details that may emerge from the trial, Mr Stephens said: “For example, questions will be asked of Virginia Giuffre about the prince’s body, any marks, his performance, what positions were adopted - every detail that is conceivable to ask and then that will be put to Andrew.”
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