Ghislaine Maxwell Jeremy Kyle interview: convict says Prince Andrew & Virginia Giuffre photo is fake on TalkTV

Disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has repeated claims that the well-known photo showing Prince Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre is fake.

The picture, which is said to be taken inside her Mayfair home, shows the Duke of York with his arm around Ms Giuffre, and Maxwell in the background. In an interview with Jeremy Kyle on TalkTV, which is set to air tonight (23 January)  Maxwell has said she is “sure” the picture is not real.

Ms Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, sued Andrew for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, the former partner of Maxwell.

The duke went on to pay millions to settle a civil sexual assault case to Ms Giuffre – a woman he claimed never to have met. The photograph formed part of Ms Giuffre’s evidence. She insisted to BBC Panorama the photo was “authentic” and gave the original one to the FBI in 2011.

Maxwell, 61, is now in a prison in Florida serving a 20-year sentence after being found guilty of sex trafficking charges in December 2021. She was found guilty by a jury of luring young girls to massage rooms for convicted paedophile Epstein to molest between 1994 and 2004.

In the interview with Kyle on TalkTV, Maxwell said: “It’s a fake. I don’t believe it’s real for a second, in fact I’m sure it’s not.”

She added: “Well, there’s never been an original and further there’s no photograph, and I’ve only ever seen a photocopy of it.”

Prince Andrew has also questioned the authenticity of the image of him with Ms Giuffre, saying he has “no recollection” of meeting Ms Giuffre and claiming he is “not one to hug” or “display affection” in public.

He also claimed the picture could not have been taken in London, as he was in his “travelling clothes”.

In an interview with BBC Newsnight in 2019, Andrew said while he recognises himself in the picture with Ms Giuffre, he claimed it is not possible to prove whether the image had been faked.

Andrew is now considering what legal options are available to him regarding a bid to overturn the civil settlement with Ms Giuffre, according to reports in The Sun on Sunday and Mail on Sunday.

However, a lawyer who represents some of Epstein’s victims, Lisa Bloom, said Andrew would have no chance of overturning the settlement with Ms Giuffre in a Twitter thread.

She said: "Andrew was represented by experienced, top flight (not to mention expensive) lawyers … Judges will not allow parties ably represented by counsel to welch on deals.

“Andrew himself is a grown man, 61, of sound mind and fully capable of managing his legal affairs. Judges will not allow competent adults to simply tear up settlement agreements.”

Maxwell also cast doubt on the authenticity of the photo in a deposition. She said the surroundings in the photo looked “familiar”, but also said: “We can’t really establish the photograph and all that”, adding: “I don’t know if that’s true, if that’s a real picture or not.”

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Jeremy Kyle Live: Ghislaine Behind Bars will air on 23 January night on TalkTV at 7pm.