Virginia Roberts 'performed sex act on Prince Andrew in front of 6ft artwork depicting her in lesbian scene on wall of Epstein's Manhattan massage room while Ghislaine Maxwell looked on,' new book claims

• e-mail

Prince Andrew was allegedly given oral sex by Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Roberts in front of a 6ft oil painting depicting her in a lesbian scene, it is claimed.

The Duke of York is claimed in author Barry Levine's new book The Spider to have had a 'sexual encounter' with Miss Roberts at Epstein's massage room in New York.

Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in jail awaiting trial on charges that she lured girls as young as 14 to Epstein to abuse, is claimed to have watched.

Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, has claimed Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew, but the Duke strenuously denies the allegations and any wrongdoing.

And a source close to the Queen's son told MailOnline this afternoon: 'Another week, another person with a book to sell. More unsubstantiated and lurid allegations that have taken over 20 years to be remembered. We look forward to seeing the proof.' 

Andrew and Virginia Roberts (centre) at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell (right) in London, 2001

Prince Andrew is photographed with the disgraced Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2010 

The book by Levine investigates disgraced paedophile Epstein who hanged himself in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.

It claims Epstein 'summoned' Ms Giuffre to meet Andrew in Manhattan, soon after she accused him of having sex with her at Maxwell's home in London in March 2001. 

The book, which has been seen by The Sun, said: 'This time their sexual encounter took place in Epstein's massage room and in the presence of Ghislaine Maxwell.' 

Ms Giuffre was allegedly sat on Andrew's knee by Maxwell along with another accuser, before Maxwell told her to take him to the massage room. 

Ms Giuffre is claimed to have given the Duke a massage in front of an oil painting which showed her in a sexual position with another woman. 

Ghislaine Maxwell is awaiting trial in the US after being charged with procuring teenage girls for Epstein (pictured together in New York in 2005) to abuse. She denies the charges

Andrew spoke to the BBC's Emily Maitlis for a Newsnight interview in November last year

An account by Sharon Churcher, who was the first reporter to interview her, Ms Giuffre said: 'Andrew couldn't have missed it. I was so embarrassed,'

She is then said to have given him oral sex while classical music played in the background, according to the book which is published by Penguin Random House.

Andrew stepped down from royal public life in November following a disastrous BBC Newsnight interview, which had led to criticism of a lack of empathy for Epstein's victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the convicted sex offender. 

Andrew stepped down from royal public life in November following a disastrous BBC Newsnight interview, which had led to criticism of a lack of empathy for Epstein's victims and a lack of remorse over his friendship with the convicted sex offender. 

Andrew (second left) has said he became friends with Jeffrey Epstein (right) in 1999, after being introduced to him through Ghislaine Maxwell. Pictured: Melania Trump, Andrew, Epstein's friend Gwendolyn Beck and Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago in Florida in 2000

The Spider: Inside the Criminal Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, by Barry Levine

The Duke and his legal team are involved in negotiations with the US authorities over their requests for him to give a witness statement about his friendship with Epstein.

Maxwell, 58, is currently in jail awaiting trial on criminal charges that she lured girls as young as 14 to Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 1997. She denies the claims.

One of the allegedly girls, US-born Ms Guiffre, has accused Andrew of having sex with her when she was 17. He has strongly denied the allegation.

The Duke is rarely seen in public now, but was pictured in April helping his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York pack cupcakes into gift bags to donate to a Windsor hospice.

The Spider: Inside the Criminal Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is written by Barry Levine, published by Penguin Random House and released today