US PROSECUTORS have insisted they tried to contact Prince Andrew “several” times after his pals claimed the royal was never approached.
On Monday, US prosecutors accused the Duke of York of “zero co-operation” with their investigation into his paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.
The 59-year-old’s pals furiously hit back saying the royal was “committed to the legal process” and was “more than happy to talk” but “hasn’t been approached yet”.
He has rubbished claims the FBI has been trying to interview him since November, as a source close to the royal told The Daily Mail: “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
The source added: “He is angry about the way this is being portrayed and bewildered as to why this was said in New York. It seems certain people are jumping the gun.”
Geoffrey Berman, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, has dismissed this claim, and stressed the FBI has “made several attempts to contact” Prince Andrew’s representatives.
It has previously been reported the FBI had been trying to interview the under-fire royal since November.
Mr Berman’s office revealed the princes lack of cooperation on Monday during a dramatic press conference outside Epsteins mansion.
He said: The Southern District of New York and the FBI have contacted Prince Andrews attorneys and requested to interview Prince Andrew, and to date, Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation.
The top prosecutor said he was revealing the information because the prince publicly offered, indeed in a press release, to cooperate with law enforcement investigating the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators.
Speaking at the press conference held to promote a new law to make it easier for child sex abuse victims to sue Mr Berman said the probe into Epsteins network was continuing.
Virginia Roberts, an American mum-of-three and now 36, claims she was forced to have sex with the prince three times when she was a teenager, after being trafficked to him by Epstein.
The royal has vehemently denied her claims.
Sigrid McCawley, who represents Ms Roberts, said: “Prince Andrew should take most seriously the deeply held belief in this country that no one is above the law.”
She added: “Prince Andrew’s continued refusal to cooperate with the authorities after freely acknowledging that he would be prepared to answer enquiries raises even more questions about the role he played in the international sex trafficking ring Jeffrey Epstein and others operated.”
Jack Scarola, another lawyer representing Ms Roberts Giuffre, told HOAR: It is obvious that Prince Andrew is persisting in a pattern of non-cooperation which is now been going on for years.
I would certainly believe that he should recognise his moral obligation to participate in the search for the truth.
With all that the victims of Jeffrey Epstein have been through over so many years I would say that they expected nothing different.
Andrew clarified his intention to co-operate with the FBI following his disastrous interview with BBCs Newsnight in November.
During the BBC interview, Andrew said he would have to consult with his lawyers before testifying under oath about his ties to Epstein.
But in a statement after the broadcast, he said: Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.
FBI and federal prosecutors in Manhattan are trying to bring justice for dozens of Epsteins victims by going after his alleged accomplices.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in jail last year while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking allegations following numerous bungled probes into his conduct.
Prosecutors had accused him of sexually exploiting dozens of women and girls in New York and Florida before he hanged himself.
Shortly after Epsteins death, Mr Berman issued a statement vowing to continue the investigation into his co-conspirators.
They are now said to be zeroing in on Ghislaine Maxwell a close friend of Andrew who is alleged to have acted at Epsteins pimp.
Maxwell who is currently in hiding has denied any wrongdoing.
Andrew was forced to quit as a frontline royal last year, following his car crash chat with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight.
During the interview, he suggested that a photograph showing him and Ms Roberts together in the home of Maxwell was faked.
He said he had no recollection of meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre and claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on one of the days they were meant to have had sex.
When asked whether he regretted continuing his friendship with Epstein, the prince said: Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes.
Unbecoming? Miss Maitlis replied. He was a sex offender.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment on the FBI claims last night, but a source close to the prince said: This issue is being dealt with by The Duke of Yorks legal team.
