Sarah, Duchess of York is standing by her disgraced ex-husband Prince Andrew amid ongoing allegations about his involvement with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to French outlet Madame Figaro, the duchess said of the Duke of York: “I loved him and I still love him today.”
“I will stay by his side because I believe in him, he is a good man.”
Sarah, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew on their wedding day.
(Getty)She has also claimed to be one of the most persecuted women in British royal history, referencing the many media storms she’s weathered in her time.
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“I was maybe the most persecuted woman in the history of the royal family, but I’m still here,” Sarah told the publication.
Though some critics challenged that claim, citing Princess Diana or Meghan, Duchess of Sussex as the more persecuted royal women, it’s Sarah’s defence of Andrew that has raised eyebrows.
Despite divorcing in 1996, Sarah and Andrew currently live together at his Royal Lodge residence in Windsor and have done for some years.
The duchess has supported Andrew through more than two years of controversy, following the bombshell allegations about his connection to Epstein that exploded in 2019.
There had already been claims that Andrew was aware of or involved in Epstein’s trafficking, which the royal adamantly denied.
Then, in 2019, Virginia Roberts Giuffre came forward and alleged (not for the first time) that Prince Andrew had sexually abused her while she was underage.
The royal family and Andrew himself rejected the claims, the prince later appearing on the BBC Newsnight program to address the allegations against him.
However, the interview was a “train wreck” and only incited more outrage, despite Andrew’s claims that he had “no recollection” of Giuffre.
He later stepped down from public royal duties and retreated from public life, but scandal has continued to follow the prince, who is now being sued by Giuffre in the US.
Andrew continued to deny any and all allegations against him and Sarah has stood by his side, supporting her former husband and the father of her two children.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have chosen to remain quiet on the matter, both opting not to address the allegations against their father publicly.
However, that could change next year as talk mounts that Andrew may be required to travel to the US to settle the legal battle with Giuffre in 2022.
US district judge Lewis Kaplan revealed in a phone call with New York lawyers last month that the case against the royal may go to trial “somewhere in the September to December period of next year”.
Sarah has stood by her ex-husband through the scandal.
(Getty)Giuffre says that Epstein and Maxwell, who were friends with Andrew, trafficked her and that she was forced to have sex with the prince on three occasions between 1999 and 2002.
“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me,” Giuffre said, via her lawyers, in a statement to ABC in August.
“The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions.”
Andrew vehemently denies all of Giuffre’s allegations and his lawyers initially attempted to prevent service of the suit.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
