Numerous court documents identifying associates of notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been made public.
Prince Andrew, Steven Hawking and Bill Clinton are among the list of names that were revealed on Wednesday evening.
US Showbiz and Royal reporter Kinsey Schofield has said that even though the Prince appeared on the list she believes that the royals will “continue to unite” around Andrew.
She said: “It is an extremely uncomfortable time for the royals because when documents like this are released, it’s like the worst game of telephone in the world.
Prince Andrew was named among the 170 associates of Jeffrey Epstein
PA
“Somebody at the hair salon has misinterpreted a line or a television quote that they heard and rumours just start going and it becomes bigger than you want it to be.
“So I think that he’s likely in a really uncomfortable position and wants this to go away.
“We have seen the Royal Family really unite around him and I think that we’re going to continue to have the never complain, never explain strategy.
“They are going to continue to support him in the way that they do by just allowing him to hover just around them.
The Royal’s will stick by the Duke
PA
This comes after it has been revealed that a US judge agreed to unseal a final set of documents that will name just under 200 people that Jeffrey Epstein was associated with in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year, for assisting Jeffrey Epstein in sexually abusing young girls between 1994 and 2004.
Virginia Giuffre, one of the survivors of abuse, had accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was 17 but an out-of-court settlement was agreed.
There has also been speculation that he could reunite with his former wife Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) due to how she stood by him throughout the public scandal.
The Duke of York was joined by his ex-wife at St Mary Magdalene’s on the Sandringham grounds at Christmas.
It’s the first time Fergie has joined the royals in over 30 years, following the couple’s divorce in 1996
Prince Andrew stepped down from royal duties and the late Queen stripped him of his military affiliations and patronages in the wake of the scandal.
The Duke of York has adamantly denied all allegations against him.
