Prince Andrew 'lobbied the US government to go easy on Jeffrey Epstein': Palace denies claims royal tried to use his influence to help billionaire paedophile during 2008 police probe

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'Met three times': Prince Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, centre, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001

The prince stayed friends with him despite his conviction and they were seen together in 2011 after Epstein’s release from jail.

Documents claim the prince tried to use his influence to help Epstein during the police probe and demands the American government be ordered by the court to hand over correspondence.

The women’s lawyers say it will show Prince Andrew and Harvard Law School expert Alan Dershowitz lobbied against Epstein being prosecuted.

The order they want the court to grant are ‘documents regarding Epstein’s lobbying efforts to persuade the Government to give him a more favorable plea arrangement and/or non-prosecution agreement, including efforts on his behalf by Prince Andrew and former Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz’.  

Last night the prince issued a strongly-worded denial, with Buckingham Palace saying ‘any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue’. 

The spokesman said that the statement also applied to the allegation that Prince Andrew lobbied the US government.  

But his alleged victim immediately hit back by saying she would not be ‘bullied into silence by aggressive attacks’.

While Dershowitz today said all the claims against him were part of a pattern of 'made-up stories' by the woman against prominent people.