The Queen is determined not to let Prince Andrew's sex trial overshadow her Platinum Jubilee celebrations scheduled for later this year, sources claim.
Officials are continuing with the Queen's Jubilee plans in June, as she and the rest of the royals "will do all they can" not to let Andrew's sex scandal ruin Her Majesty's big year.
Prince Andrew has officially denied to the court a series of sex abuse allegations brought forward by his accuser Virginia Giuffre and opted for a trial by jury in court documents filed to New York by his legal team.
Palace sources are surprised at the change of direction in the Duke's case after he consistently told his family there was little to no chance of him facing a civil trial in the United States, reports the Mirror.
Prince Andrew has opted for a jury trial and insiders have reportedly questioned the “counter attack” tactics, which senior royals are understood to fear could expose Andrew while causing irreparable damage to the monarchy.
They are also concerned the case could overshadow the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Ms Guiffre, 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.
The Duke went on to claim he was not a “close friend” of Maxwell, who is facing 65 years behind bars, despite knowing her for 40 years and inviting her to Buckingham Palace and the Queen’s Balmoral estate with her lover Epstein.
One royal source said: “It’s the ultimate gamble.
“He is putting himself at the mercy of a jury and attempting to distance himself from people like Ghislaine Maxwell, when he is on record discussing their friendship and has known her for decades.
“This is certainly a huge shift in mood from previous suggestions that everything was ‘in hand’ and questions will certainly be asked about the wisdom of a bullish counter-attack defence so late in the day.”
Palace insiders are ploughing on with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and one leading lawyer said the frenzied international interest in the civil trial could lead to questions about the “relevancy” of the royal family.
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.
He said: “I can’t conceive that the royal family will allow him to run this case and overshadow the Platinum Jubilee.
“It’s going to spark debate about the relevancy and appropriateness of the royal family and we’ve already seen that they moved very fast to strip him of his titles and that debate abated but the more detail that comes out the more there’s going to be a problem for the wider royal family.”
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.”
Neama Rahmani, of West Coast Trial Lawyers in Los Angeles, further warned that “all the dirty laundry is going to be aired in a very public way”.
There is still the prospect that Andrew may reach an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre, while other legal experts such as Mitra Ahouraian, a Beverly Hills entertainment attorney, suggested the request for trial by jury may help Andrew actually “control the evidence”.
Significantly, The Mirror is reporting that Andrew’s UK lawyer Gary Bloxsome, dubbed ‘Good News Gary’ in royal circles after allegedly consistently being known for telling the Duke the “best case scenario”, is understood to have taken a back seat in planning for the major case.
US attorney Andrew Brettler, who was brought in last autumn to help Andrew avoid a trial, is now focussing on preparing the disgraced royal to fight his case in front of a jury.
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