A LAWYER has blasted Prince Andrew a year on from his Newsnight interview as he still has not spoken with US authorities.
The Duke of York stepped down from public life a year ago today, following his disastrous Newsnight interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Lisa Bloom, who represents six of Epstein's alleged victims, said it was "outrageous" that the Queen's second son had not cooperated with police in this time, despite publicly promising to do so last November.
The duke was criticised in the wake of the Newsnight fiasco for showing a lack of empathy towards the paedophile's victims.
He was also slammed for showing a lack of remorse over his friendship with disgraced financier Epstein, who took his own life while in prison last year.
One year on, Ms Bloom has called on Andrew to submit to an interview with the FBI as they investigate the duke's friend, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell who is accused of procuring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse – she has denied the claims.
In his Newsnight interview with the BBC's Emily Maitlis, Prince Andrew denied claims that he slept with Virginia Giuffre, who says she was trafficked by Epstein, on three separate occasions, including when she was 17, still a minor under US law.
The circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work.
But in a statement released on his parents' wedding anniversary last year, the duke said that the Queen had given him permission to bow out of royal duties for the "foreseeable future".
He said: "The circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work."
Andrew added he continued to "unequivocally regret my ill-judged association" with Epstein and pledged to help "any appropriate law enforcement agency".
'OUTRAGEOUS'
Ms Bloom said: "How outrageous that it's been a year since Prince Andrew publicly promised to co-operate with law enforcement investigating all those who enabled Jeffrey Epstein's sexual assaults on hundreds of women and girls.
"He simply has not kept that promise. Meanwhile, the six victims I represent struggle to repair their lives.
"We implore Prince Andrew to submit to an interview with the FBI investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell and other accused co-conspirators, to tell what he knows, to turn over documents and evidence, and to instruct his staff to do so as well.
"It is never too late to do the right thing."
A spokeswoman for the duke's lawyers declined to comment.
One year on from withdrawing from his public role, the duke is now widely expected never to return to royal duties.
And he has faced a war of words between his camp and American authorities over his availability to answer questions about Epstein.
'FALSELY WILLING TO COOPERATE'
Andrew was accused of attempting to "falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate" by US attorney Geoffrey Berman, who was leading the investigation into Epstein.
Although Andrew's legal team said he had made three offers to give a witness statement.
Speaking of his silence on Lorraine earlier this week, Lisa Bloom said: "It's time for Prince Andrew to cooperate with authorities."
Ms Bloom was asked if Andrew was keeping out of the limelight "partly that he's got his head in the sand, or perhaps because he's royal, and feels in some way untouchable".
She replied: "I think it's both of those things, and I think frankly he's hiding because he can."
Andrew has vehemently denied the alleged 2001 encounter with Ms Giuffre and in his Newsnight interview, said it could not have happened because he had spent the day with Beatrice, taking her to Pizza Express in Woking for a party.
Ms Giuffre said the same alleged sexual liaison began with the duke sweating heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp.
But the duke said he had a medical condition at the time which meant he did not sweat, and that he had no recollection of ever meeting Ms Giuffre.
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