Andrew bolts for Balmoral: Prince quits Windsor to join his mother on her Scottish holiday

Prince Andrew has made a dash for the Queen’s Balmoral estate to allegedly avoid multiple attempts to serve sexual assault papers at his mansion nearly 500 miles away in Windsor, it was claimed today. 

The Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson travelled up to his mother’s 50,000-acre Scottish estate where she is staying while on holiday, after they were seen leaving Royal Lodge yesterday, reported The Sun. 

Andrew, 61, has not yet responded to the bombshell lawsuit filed in an American court by Jeffrey Epstein’s former sex slave Virginia Giuffre, who claims the Duke sexually abused her when she was 17.

Papers have not yet been served on Andrew or his lawyers despite ‘multiple attempts’ at Royal Lodge in the last fortnight, according to reports – and the Duke is now set to stay at the Queen’s estate when the case is heard.

The civil suit is due to be heard via a telephone conference in New York on September 13. Ms Giuffre, now 38, claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times on the orders of paedophile financier Epstein. 

She claims that the first time she was forced to have sex with Andrew was at the London townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s alleged madam. The second is claimed to have been at Epstein’s mansion in New York.

The third incident was on Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean, according to Ms Giuffre. Andrew has always vehemently denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but has not yet publicly responded to the civil case.

Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral this morning with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover

Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral this morning with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover

The Duke of York, 61, is seen arriving at Balmoral today with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of the Range Rover

The Duke of York, 61, is seen arriving at Balmoral today with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of the Range Rover

Prince Andrew is pictured with Sarah Ferguson in the back seat of the Range Rover as they left Windsor yesterday

Prince Andrew is pictured with Sarah Ferguson in the back seat of the Range Rover as they left Windsor yesterday

Sarah Ferguson is seen in the back of a Range Rover leaving Windsor yesterday en route to see the Queen in Balmoral

Sarah Ferguson is seen in the back of a Range Rover leaving Windsor yesterday en route to see the Queen in Balmoral

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson leave Royal Lodge in Windsor yesterday en route to Balmoral to see the Queen

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson leave Royal Lodge in Windsor yesterday en route to Balmoral to see the Queen

A source told the Sun: ‘Andrew was going stir-crazy inside Royal Lodge for the past few weeks. He wasn’t going horse riding and couldn’t step outside because of attempts to serve him with the legal papers.

‘He knows he is far safer up at Balmoral on the Queen’s estate. Andrew is always described as the Queen’s favourite son but she is meant to be on holiday at Balmoral.

‘With Andrew and everything that is happening with Charles and the investigation into cash for honours she must be wondering when she will get any peace and quiet.’ 

The duke has stepped back from public duties ‘for the foreseeable future’ after his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in 2019.

Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, was photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, was photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

Andrew has travelled with Sarah Ferguson to Balmoral Castle (file picture), with is the Queen's Scottish retreat

Andrew has travelled with Sarah Ferguson to Balmoral Castle (file picture), with is the Queen’s Scottish retreat

Ms Guiffre, 38, alleges that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was aged 17.

Virginia Roberts alleges that Jeffrey Epstein (above) forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17

Virginia Roberts alleges that Jeffrey Epstein (above) forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17

Andrew has strenuously denied her claims that she was forced to have sex with him on Epstein’s orders. He said he categorically did not have any sexual contact with her and does not even recall meeting her.

Last month it was claimed Andrew is considered a ‘person of interest’ in the US investigation into Epstein.

Prosecutors had wanted to interview the Queen’s son about his friendship with Epstein as part of their inquiry into the sex offender and Ghislaine Maxwell.

It was always said investigators wished to speak to him only as a ‘witness’ in case he can throw any light on the crimes of Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. 

But last month a source told Reuters that he is being seen as a ‘person of interest’. One leading criminal defence attorney said that while the term does not have any formal meaning in the US, the fact the FBI were apparently using it about Andrew was ‘not good’.  

Mark Bederow, a New York criminal defence attorney, said: ‘It means they are interested in knowing about his conduct and whether he knew that a potential crime has occurred.’ 

He added it does not mean that he would ever be charged, however. By revealing their thinking at this stage, a week after Mrs Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against him, it seems like ‘publicity pressure mechanism’, Mr Bederow said. 

Virginia Giuffre (centre, in blue) in New York in 2019 with her lawyer David Boies for a hearing

Virginia Giuffre (centre, in blue) in New York in 2019 with her lawyer David Boies for a hearing

The Queen with her son Prince Andrew on the Buckingham Palace balcony in June 2019

The Queen with her son Prince Andrew on the Buckingham Palace balcony in June 2019

MailOnline has contacted Andrew’s press representative for a comment about the Sun’s story today.

The allegations against Andrew are not the only crisis unfolding for the Royal Family, as it has recently been claimed that the Prince of Wales was ‘100 per cent’ behind an offer to help Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz secure UK citizenship.

Clarence House said Charles has ‘no knowledge’ of the cash for honours allegations on the basis of donation to his charities, denying allegations by a former fixer.

The claims by William Bortrick – a paid advisor to Dr bin Mahfouz, who is a major donor to Charles’s charities – came as the Prince’s former valet Michael Fawcett stepped down on a temporary basis as chief of the Prince’s Foundation while investigations into the allegations take place.

A string of claims about 58-year-old Mr Fawcett’s conduct while running the charity included the allegation that he had offered to ‘support’ Dr bin Mahfouz in his efforts to secure both a knighthood and British citizenship. 

Prince Charles awards a CBE to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz at Buckingham Palace in November 2016

Prince Charles awards a CBE to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz at Buckingham Palace in November 2016  

And new allegations about Charles’s apparent involvement have emerged in a draft letter from Mr Bortrick to Dr bin Mahfouz, who donated more than £1.5million to Charles’s charities.

A letter by Burke’s Peerage publisher Mr Bortrick, which was drafted in May 2014 and revealed by The Times, said that Dr bin Mahfouz’s application for citizenship would ‘now take the highest priority’.

It added: ‘His Royal Highness supports these applications 100 per cent, as there is no greater example of contribution [than] yours, therefore this should be rewarded and recognised accordingly.’ 

A spokesman for the prince said: ‘The Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities and fully supports the investigation now under way by The Prince’s Foundation.’ 

source: dailymail.co.uk