3 0 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁a ▁Florida ▁court ▁fil ing ▁by ▁law y ers ▁Brad ley ▁J . ▁Edwards ▁and ▁Paul ▁G . ▁Cass ell ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁Prince ▁Andrew ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁prominent ▁figures , ▁including ▁" a ▁former ▁prime ▁minister " ▁and ▁lawyer ▁Alan ▁D ers how itz , ▁to ▁have ▁participated ▁in ▁sexual ▁activities ▁with ▁a ▁minor ▁later ▁identified ▁as ▁Virginia ▁Roberts ▁Gi uff re , ▁who ▁was ▁alleg edly ▁tra ff icked ▁for ▁sex ▁by ▁Ep stein . ▁An ▁aff id av it ▁from ▁Gi uff re ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁an ▁earlier ▁law suit ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁acc using ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Justice ▁Department ▁of ▁viol ating ▁the ▁Crime ▁Vict ims ▁Rights ▁Act ▁during ▁Ep stein ’ s ▁first ▁criminal ▁case ▁by ▁not ▁allowing ▁several ▁of ▁his ▁vict ims ▁to ▁challenge ▁his ▁ple a ▁deal ; ▁the ▁Duke ▁was ▁otherwise ▁not ▁a ▁party ▁to ▁the ▁law suit . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁there ▁was ▁renew ed ▁media ▁and ▁public ▁pressure ▁for ▁Buck ingham ▁Palace ▁to ▁explain ▁Prince ▁Andrew ' s ▁connection ▁with ▁Ep stein . ▁Buck ingham ▁Palace ▁stated ▁that ▁" any ▁suggestion ▁of ▁impro p ri ety ▁with ▁under age ▁min ors ▁is ▁categor ically ▁un true ", ▁later ▁repeating ▁the ▁den ial s . ▁Request s ▁from ▁Gi uff re ' s ▁law y ers ▁for ▁a ▁statement ▁from ▁the ▁Duke , ▁under ▁o ath , ▁about ▁the ▁alleg ations ▁were ▁returned