Duke In Davos sex slave denial

The Duke of York has spoken publicly for the first time about allegations he had sex with an under-age teenager, reaffirming his denial of the claims.

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Prince Andrew (Getty)

The Duke of York has spoken out to "reiterate and reaffirm" Buckingham Palace statements rebutting allegations he had sex with an under-age teenager.

Prince Andrew looked resolute and calm on Thursday as he spoke for the first time to deny accusations, made in US court documents, that he had sex with a girl on three separate occasions when she was a minor.

She has been named in reports as Virginia Roberts and lawyers acting on her behalf have filed a letter in a Florida court addressed to the duke at Buckingham Palace, asking him to take part in a two-hour interview.

But speaking to leading figures from the worlds of politics and business at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, Andrew said: "Firstly I think I must, (and) want, for the record to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks and I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements which have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace."

He went on to say: "My focus is on my work."

Prince Andrew had faced mounting pressure to speak personally about the allegations which have dogged him since they were first reported at the start of the year.


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