The Duke of York was accused of sex trafficking and abusing Virginia Roberts Giuffre on three separate occasions when she was 17. Ms. Giuffre claimed she was abused by the Duke after first being groomed by the socialite Ms. Maxwell.
This was for the sexual gratification of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died while awaiting further charges in 2019.
Now, friends of Ms. Maxwell said she would be prepared to support Prince Andrew’s insistence that he never had sex with Ms. Giuffre.
One friend told the Telegraph: “Ghislaine will be prepared to give evidence on the Duke’s behalf.
“By the time the case against the Duke gets to court, Ghislaine will either be convicted and serving up to 85 years in jail [or if] cleared of course she would help Prince Andrew.
“They have been friends for a very long time.
“It is highly likely Ghislaine will offer to assist him.”
Ms Maxwell is currently in jail awaiting a trial in November on sex trafficking charges.
However, she would have to be cleared of wrongdoing at her own trial before her evidence would be considered credible in a courtroom.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, Ms Giuffre’s attorney, David Boise, said the Duke’s lawyers “have totally stonewalled”.
He said: “He can ignore me. And he can ignore Virginia… but he can’t ignore the judicial process.”
Mr Boise added how evidence including photographs of Andrew with Ms Giuffre at Ms Maxwell’s house “doesn’t go directly and conclusively to the fundamental question as to whether there was sexual abuse”.
But he said: “It does I think significantly go to his credibility.
“And… this ultimately comes down to a question of credibility.”
In the legal claim, Andrew is alleged to have “intentionally committed battery by sexually assaulting” Ms Giuffre when she was a minor.
It added that “on multiple occasions, Andrew intentionally touched the Plaintiff in an offensive and sexual manner without her consent”.
The Duke of York stepped back from royal life in 2019 following the disastrous interview with the BBC over his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein.
But Andrew reportedly asked the Queen to be allowed to temporarily step back as a senior royal following the death of Prince Philip.
However, the latest accusations will jeopardize his attempts of returning to the frontline of the monarchy.
Nigel Cawthorne, the Prince’s biographer, said: “Giuffre’s lawsuit will preclude a return to public duties.
“It is very difficult to see how Prince Andrew can return to the frontline of the monarchy while a suit is pending, or with a verdict against him passed in absentia.”
Arick Fudali, a lawyer with the Bloom Firm, which has represented nine of Epstein’s victims, said the case “certainly put pressure” on Andrew.
But he claimed there was only a “small chance” it would end up in court.
Prince Andrew vehemently denies all allegations made against him.