London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 02, 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
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Chancellor John Healey Faces Tax and Pension Scrutiny Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Apologise for Accidental Disclosure in High-Profile Investigation
UK Universities Report Record International Enrolment as Housing Pressure Grows
UK Logistics Firms Monitor Rhine Disruption as Low Water Threatens European Supply Chains
UK Food Industry Warns Inflation Could Approach 7%
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and Mandatory Retail Stamps
Scotland Raises Property Taxes and Expands Child Payment in Annual Budget
Greggs Plans Four Factory Closures With 740 Jobs at Risk
OECD Raises UK 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.1%
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Bank of England Faces Rate Debate
Andy Burnham Criticises Brexit and Says Rejoining EU Single Market Remains an Option
UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Military Networks and Propagandists
UK Launches Nationwide Early-Release Prison Scheme
Andy Burnham Says Security Services See Signs of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Incident
Manchester City Found Guilty on Premier League Financial Charges After Independent Investigation
Scottish Court to Rule on Bid to Force No-Confidence Vote Against Aberdeen Council Co-Leader
UK Bans Extra Charges for Seating Children Under 12 Beside Accompanying Adults
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and New Licensing Requirements
Greggs to Close Four UK Factories and Cut 740 Jobs
Hundreds of Prisoners Released Early as England and Wales Prisons Reach 98% Capacity
UK Unveils New Russia Sanctions Targeting War Funding and Shadow Fleet
Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Security Breach
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Reviewing Britain's Post-Brexit EU Relationship
Markets Price in Bank of England Rate Increases as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Borrowing Costs Climb Toward 5.5% as Global Bond Sell-Off Intensifies
UK-France One-In-One-Out Migration Agreement Expires as London Seeks Alternative Measures
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
Scottish Government Proposes Replacing 32 Councils With Larger Regional Authorities
Ofgem Raises UK Household Energy Price Cap by 4% From October
UK Counter-Terrorism Police Continue Investigation After Five Arrests Near RAF Fairford
OECD Cuts UK 2027 Growth Forecast to 1%
Labour Says State Pension Triple Lock Remains Protected Through Current Parliament
Andy Burnham Pledges National Care Service With Free Social Care in England
Six Flags Permanently Shuts Landmark X2 Roller Coaster Following Safety Scandals
Metropolitan Police Rule Out Terrorism in Golders Green Stabbing Investigation
Lithium-Ion Battery Identified as Cause of Fatal Merseyside House Fire
UK Department Rejects New Sea Use Framework Due to Stakeholder Fatigue
Major Thames Water Pipe Burst Causes School Closures in London
×