The Duke of York's legal team has filed court documents seeking to question a psychologist who treated Virginia Giuffre, the woman accusing him of sexual assault, arguing that she may 'suffer from false memories'. The lawyers want to examine Dr Judith Lightfoot and Ms Giuffre's husband, Robert, under oath.
The request comes as both parties prepare for a civil trial in New York, after a judge dismissed Prince Andrew's motion to throw out the case. Judge Lewis Kaplan has set a 14 July deadline for witness evidence and indicated a trial could take place later this year.
Prince Andrew, 61, faces allegations from Ms Giuffre that he had sex with her while she was being trafficked by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17, a minor under US law. The prince has consistently denied the claims.
In the court documents, Prince Andrew's lawyers argue that Ms Giuffre's husband should be questioned about household finances and how he met his wife around 2002. They also want to examine Dr Lightfoot about topics discussed in therapy sessions and to access medical notes and prescriptions, citing the 'theory of false memories'.
Meanwhile, Ms Giuffre's legal team is seeking testimony from two individuals in the UK: Robert Olney, Prince Andrew's former assistant, and Shukri Walker, who claims to have witnessed the prince at Tramp nightclub around the time of the alleged abuse. The lawyers argue that Olney's name appears in Epstein's phone book, suggesting relevant information about the prince's relationship with Epstein.
The developments follow Buckingham Palace's announcement that Prince Andrew has returned his military titles and royal patronages to the Queen. The palace stated that the duke will continue not to undertake public duties and is defending the case as a private citizen.
