London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 18, 2026

Prince Andrew's lawyers say accuser may have false memories

Prince Andrew's lawyers say accuser may have false memories

The Duke of York's lawyers want to question a psychologist who treated the woman accusing him of sexual assault, claiming she may "suffer from false memories".

Court documents show they want Virginia Giuffre's husband, Robert, and psychologist Dr Judith Lightfoot to be examined under oath.

Ms Giuffre's legal team want to call the prince's former assistant.

Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations.

With a trial due to go ahead after a judge threw out the prince's motion to dismiss the civil case, both parties are requesting help with calling witnesses overseas to give evidence.

Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is hearing the case in New York, has asked for witnesses' evidence to be taken by lawyers by 14 July and said a trial could take place in court later this year.

Prince Andrew, 61, faces allegations by Ms Giuffre that he was one of the men who had sex with her while she was being trafficked by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 17 - a minor under US law.

The prince's lawyers want to question his accuser's husband, Robert Giuffre, about their household finances and how he met his wife around 2002, according to court documents.

They also want to ask her psychologist, Dr Judith Lightfoot, about subjects they discussed at her sessions and see her doctors' notes and medicines prescribed.

The legal team argue Ms Giuffre, now 38, "may suffer from false memories", and also want to examine Dr Lightfoot about the "theory of false memories".

Dr Lightfoot and Mr Giuffre, who both live in Australia, would be requested to be examined under oath in person or by videolink, the documents show.

A false memory expert, psychologist Dr Elizabeth Loftus, testified at the trial of Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in December, before Maxwell's conviction on sex-trafficking charges.

She said people continually reconstructed their memories rather than retrieving them as if from a recording device, and they could be subject to "post-event suggestion".

But she conceded while "peripheral memories" of traumatic events may be forgotten, core memories may get stronger.

Meanwhile, court documents show lawyers for Ms Giuffre are seeking testimony from two people in the UK.

Her legal team want Robert Olney, the prince's former assistant, to provide a statement.

A letter submitted to the Royal Courts of Justice in London says Ms Giuffre has reason to believe Mr Olney has relevant information about Prince Andrew's relationship with convicted child sex offender Epstein.

This is because Mr Olney's name appears in publicly-available copies of Epstein's phone book, her lawyers say.

Another letter seeks testimony from Shukri Walker, explaining she stated in the press that she was a potential witness to Prince Andrew's presence at the Tramp nightclub around the time Ms Giuffre said she was abused.

Ms Giuffre has said they visited the club in London before she was assaulted in 2001, but the court documents note the duke has denied being at Tramp on the night in question or ever having met Ms Giuffre.

The developments come after Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Prince Andrew's military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.

"The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen," the palace said in a statement.


Watch: Why Prince Andrew's military titles and royal patronages meant so much


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Inquiry Into Corporate Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Automotive Industry Leaders Urge Westminster to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Framework With Mandatory Electronic Travel Authorizations Across United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Welsh First Minister Secures Additional Funding for Rural Agricultural Transition and Sustainable Farming Schemes
Scottish Government Unveils Accelerated Regional Infrastructure Strategy to Boost Clean Energy Manufacturing
National Health Service England Launches Emergency Recruitment Drive to Alleviate Severe Acute Care Winter Backlogs
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Wage Growth
British Government Finalizes Emergency Energy Support Package to Protect Households From Winter Price Surges
Russell Brand Trial Begins at Southwark Crown Court
UK Parliament to Debate Climate Risks and Council Tax Following Public Petitions
Department for Transport Demands Safety Audits Following Regional Rail Disruptions
House of Lords Scrutinizes Amendments to Armed Forces Bill
Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales Criticize Post-Brexit Funding Framework
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Defends Middle East Military Support Under Parliamentary Scrutiny
NHS Leaders Warn of Severe Pressure on Hospitals from Winter Virus Outbreaks
Retailers and Business Groups Lobby Chancellor for Relief from Rising Employment Taxes
City of London Taskforce Urges Radical Reform to Prevent UK From Becoming "Incubator Nation"
Bank of England Officials Signal Potential November Interest Rate Hike
Institute for Fiscal Studies Warns of £35 Billion Funding Gap in Upcoming Autumn Budget
IMF Upgrades UK Growth Forecast to 1.3% for 2026
Former UUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years in prison for historical child sex offences
UK ministers adopt independent commission blueprint to fast-track AI in the NHS
Labour leadership orders local councillors to end power-sharing deals with Green Party
UK government considers regulatory intervention in proposed Sky and ITV merger
Environment Agency declares severe drought across six English regions as reservoirs hit critical lows
NHS England issues new guidance prohibiting transgender women from female-only wards
Norwegian teenager sentenced to 20 years for part of Iran-backed assassination plot in Britain
UK government threatens complete visa ban on Eritrea over refusal to accept deportees
UK Treasury lobbies UBS to move global headquarters to London amid banking sector tax threats
MI5 Warns of Growing Russian Sabotage and Espionage Threats Across Britain
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Plans Brussels Talks to Renegotiate Post-Brexit Trade Deal
MI5 Warns of Rising Russian and Iranian Sabotage Threats to British Military Facilities
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Closer EU Ties as MI5 Reveals Russian Brexit Interference
UK Orders Security Review Following Reported Killing of Former Politician Ann Widdecombe
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Meets German Chancellor Merz to Strengthen European Security Ties
Nearly 100,000 NHS Patients Treated in Hospital Corridors as England Braces for Winter Pressures
UK Government Rejects US-Russia Diesel Agreement and Reaffirms Sanctions Against Moscow
UK and Germany Agree to Deepen Security and Economic Cooperation Following Berlin Talks
British Prime Minister Burnham Pledges Closer EU Ties During Visit to Germany
UK Announces New Sanctions on 17 Russia-Linked Entities During Foreign Secretary's Ukraine Visit
UK and Germany Finalize Kensington Treaty to Strengthen Defense and Technology Cooperation
Britain Maintains Diplomatic Mission in East Jerusalem Despite Israeli Closure Deadline
English Councils Push Government to Rethink Proposed Funding Cuts
Scottish Homebuilding Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Years
BBC Chief Matt Brittin Defends Restructuring as Staff Challenge Job Cuts
UK Finance Warns High Energy Costs and Bond Yields Are Complicating Fiscal Outlook
UK Adopts All 44 Recommendations on Regulating AI in Healthcare
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget as Borrowing Costs Strain Public Finances
UK Investigators See Strong Indications of Iranian Link After RAF Fairford Security Operation
×