Prince Andrew has demanded a jury trial in the ongoing sexual assault case against Virginia Giuffre. Ms. Giuffre alleges that Andrew sexually abused her more than two decades ago when she was 17 and sued the Duke last August saying he battered her while the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking her.

In a filing with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Andrew, 61, admitted to meeting Epstein in or around 1999, but denied Giuffre's claim that he "committed sexual assault and battery" upon her.

The prince's lawyers had previously called Giuffre's lawsuit "baseless" and accused her of seeking another payday.

She had received a $500,000 settlement with Epstein earlier in 2009 an amount that the prince claims covered him from any further lawsuits from Guiffre.

However, a judge in New York denied the request forcing him to explore other avenues to defend himself including asking the court to throw Ms. Giuffre case out by questioning her legal standing to sue because she lives in Australia; a move that didn't work out either.

Giuffre's defence said in a statement that Andrew was trying to "blame the victim."

"We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms. Giuffre for her own abuse," David Boies, Ms. Guiffre's lawyer said.

A loss of reputation for Andrew

Andrew's ties to Epstein, who killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex abuse charges, have undermined his reputation with the public and standing in Britain's Royal Family.

Earlier this month, the family removed Andrew's military links and military patronages, and said the second son of Queen Elizabeth would represent himself as a private citizen.

He has not been criminally charged, and no criminal charges can be brought in Giuffre's civil lawsuit therefore if she won at trial, Andrew could owe her damages.