Prince Andrew must submit to interview in sex abuse suit by July

Oct. 26 (UPI) -- A federal judge in New York has set a deadline for British Prince Andrew to be questioned in a lawsuit in which he's accused of sexual abuse.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York on Monday said the duke of York must make himself available for questioning by July 14.

American Virginia Giuffre filed the lawsuit against Prince Andrew in August, accusing him of rape and sexual abuse when she was underage. The civil lawsuit is tied to since-disgraced and deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex ring.

Under the order, Giuffre's lawyers must interview Prince Andrew and submit the transcript by July 14.

Giuffre first took her allegations public in 2015, saying British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend of Prince Andrew and Epstein, recruited her and other underage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. She said Maxwell and Epstein offered her to Prince Andrew, as well.

Andrew, who is Queen Elizabeth II's second-oldest son, has denied the allegations.

Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while being held on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell is set to go on trial in November on charges she recruited underage girls. She's being held in a Brooklyn jail without bail.

Sommer Brokaw contributed to this report.