Prince Andrew should hand over emails, texts and travel logs to US authorities, lawyer for Jeffrey Epstein victims says
A US lawyer representing some of Jeffrey Epstein's victims has said Prince Andrew and his staff should hand over emails, texts and travel logs to the US authorities to help with their investigations.
Lisa Bloom said the Duke of York should give evidence under oath over his relationship with the paedophile American financier.
Discussing how Andrew could become involved in any legal process, Lisa Bloom said that, as a lawyer, she had "the right" to seek a statement from individuals she deemed to have "relevant information".
Asked by the BBC whether such a statement would be useful for her clients, Ms Bloom said: "Absolutely. We know that Prince Andrew had many contacts with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and we think anybody who has had a lot of interaction with them should be speaking not only to law enforcement but to lawyers to the victims, people like me who are doing investigations."
She then added: "I also think that all of the staff who work for Prince Andrew, should come and give information and evidence and that documents should be turned over - emails, texts, calendars, phone logs, travel logs, so that we can get to the bottom of this."
On Thursday morning, the Duke of York was seen in public for the first time after his dramatic decision to step down from official royal duties.
Andrew, who quit his life as a working royal on Wednesday evening, was pictured leaving Royal Lodge in Berkshire.
The Duke, dressed in a suit and tie, gave a wave as he drove away from his family home in Windsor Great Park.
While businesses and charities continued to distance themselves from the Duke, on Thursday morning it was announced that his work with Pitch@Palace would continue because it is a private initiative.
Ms Bloom's comments came in response to the Duke saying in a statement that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".
She told BBC Breakfast: "It's not going to be easy to subpoena someone like Prince Andrew, he's obviously not walking down the street where a process server can just hand him a piece of paper, it's a lot more complicated.
"If he refused to come, we may have a diplomatic situation between (the UK) and (the US). I hope it doesn't come to that.
"I take him at his word that he says he is going to co-operate, and I hope that's what's going to happen."
Andrew, the Queen's second son, also announced he would step down from public duties for the "foreseeable future".
Pressure had been mounting on the Duke in the wake of his interview about his relationship with Epstein.
Ms Bloom had previously argued Andrew "must co-operate" with US authorities investigating Epstein.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Thursday she said his latest statement was "a good first step but it's long overdue".
Asked if an FBI investigation into Epstein could reach to the UK, Ms Bloom said: "It certainly could and it should."
Andrew resigns from Outward Bound Trust
The Duke of York has resigned from his position as patron of the Outward Bound Trust.
In a statement on Thursday, the Outward Bound Trust said: "The Board of The Outward Bound Trust has today accepted the resignation as Patron of HRH The Duke of York following his announcement yesterday that he will be withdrawing from public duties for the foreseeable future."
Huddersfield University confirm Andrew has relinquished role as chancellor
Huddersfield University has confirmed the Duke of York will step down immediately to relinquish his role as its chancellor.
In a statement the university said: "Due to the circumstances and in discussion with the university, he has decided to step down immediately to allow the university to appoint a successor."
Huddersfield University Students' Union said in response: "We know that students will welcome this decision, and the Students' Union would like to offer our sympathy to the victims of Epstein and all those affected by sexual abuse across the world."
Andrew's Pitch@Palace work to continue as other projects abandon ship
The Duke of York is to continue working on his flagship project Pitch@Palace but will do so privately without the support of Buckingham Palace.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "He will continue to work on Pitch but will look at how to do that outside and entirely separate from the Palace."
It is thought the Duke will not have any involvement with the dozens of charities, organisations and military units he is associated with.
The Duke of York founded Pitch@Palace in 2014 to "provide a platform to amplify and accelerate the work of entrepreneurs" by giving them the "opportunity to meet the people who can help make their business dreams become a reality".
Firms including telecoms giant BT and Barclays bank were among a growing number of multimillion-pound businesses, universities and charities which distanced themselves from Andrew amid the fall-out from the Newsnight interview.
It is understood there have been ongoing discussions within the Royal Family about the current situation, with Andrew talking to the Queen and the Prince of Wales.
The Duke met the Queen on Wednesday, visiting her at Buckingham Palace before his decision was announced.
Andrew was criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein's victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the financier, who took his own life while in prison earlier this year.
In the Newsnight interview the Duke denied claims he slept with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims, on three separate occasions, twice while she was underage.
He said the alleged encounter in 2001 did not happen, as he spent the day with his daughter, Princess Beatrice, taking her to Pizza Express in Woking for a party.
The Duke said he had no recollection of meeting Ms Giuffre.
