Royal courtiers believe Sarah Ferguson will be subpoenaed if Prince Andrew's sexual abuse allegation is not dismissed.
As his attorneys prepare to fight back against his accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and investigate her "multiple inconsistencies" in forensic detail, the Duke has promised to "robustly engage" in the judicial process.
Prince Andrew's ex-wife may receive subpoena
However, his team is aware that if the case progresses to the discovery stage, he would be subjected to the "intrusive" process of handing over a slew of personal papers and information, as well as the possibility of having close family and aides dragged into the case and forced to testify.
"They're going to ask for a kitchen sink," Bradley Simon, a former federal prosecutor in New York who now works as a defense attorney specializing in complicated civil litigation, told the Sunday Telegraph.
Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with the Duke in London, Manhattan, and on his Caribbean island by Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew claimed in his BBC Newsnight interview that on the night she claimed they were in London, he took his daughter to Pizza Express in Woking.
The Duke claimed he knew he was there because the Duchess, his ex-wife with whom he shares a home, was gone, and the family had a simple rule that when one was away, the other was there.
Courtiers recognized that because the Duchess's whereabouts had been included as part of his alibi, Giuffre's legal team was likely to summon her as part of their efforts to discredit his evidence. One said it was a "pretty traumatic" procedure into which his legal team would go with "extreme caution."
The Duke has until October 29 to reply to the civil complaint, with a hearing planned for November 3 via videoconference, Daily Mail reported. At a recent hearing, Andrew Brettler, who leads Prince Andrew's team, told the judge that they aim to argue that a 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein freed the Duke from any conceivable responsibility.
The Duke has "full confidence" of his legal team
According to newly filed court records, her team received authorization from Epstein's estate to pass on the arrangement, which had been kept under wraps until now. They've requested that the court sign off on the transfer, indicating that they believe it will have minimal impact on the case.
The announcement follows one of the most spectacular examples of royal redemption, when Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson joined him to Balmoral in August for the first time since the civil action was launched, when senior members of the Royal Family met for the first time since the civil suit was filed.
The Duchess also stated that she is "100% confident" that Prince Andrew is speaking the truth regarding his role in the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein case.
Per Express.co, after Giuffre filed her complaint in August, the Duke reportedly instructed his legal staff to issue a statement denying her accusations. Prince Andrew, on the other hand, has "full confidence" in his legal staff, according to a royal expert.
Ann Gripper hosts Pod Save the Queen, which includes Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers. Gary Bloxsome, a criminal defense lawyer who was engaged last year following Prince Andrew's catastrophic BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in November 2019, leads Andrew's UK legal team. Andrew Brettler, who has previously represented numerous Hollywood celebrities, has also been hired.
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