Panorama: Prince Andrew's accuser says 'this is a story of abuse'

The Duke of York’s accuser Virginia Giuffre has implored the British public to “stand up beside me to help me fight this fight” and “not accept this as being OK”.

Ms Giuffre claims she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with Andrew when she was a teenager, which the duke categorically denies.

The Duke of Yorks accuser Virginia Giuffre. Picture: PA

The hour-long investigative programme entitled The Prince and the Epstein Scandal was broadcast last night.

Newsnight

The Queen’s second son stepped down from public duties just over a week ago. He insisted in his disastrous Newsnight interview that he did not witness or suspect any suspicious behaviour during his visits to Epstein’s homes in Florida, New York and the Caribbean.

Panorama also examined the well-known photograph of Andrew pictured with his arm around Ms Giuffre’s waist at Ms Maxwell’s house.

Virginia Giuffre insisted that this picture taken with the prince was genuine. Picture: Shutterstock

The duke has said he had no memory of the photo being taken and questioned whether it was his own hand in the image.

Ms Giuffre insisted the photo was genuine and she gave the original to the FBI in 2011.

She added: “The people on the inside are going to keep coming up with these ridiculous excuses, like his arm was elongated or the photo was doctored. I mean, come on, I’m calling BS on this.

“He knows what happened. I know what happened and there’s only one of us telling the truth, and that’s me.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in response to the allegations: “It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”