Ghislaine Maxwell (US Department of Justice/PA)
(Picture: PA Media)Ghislaine Maxwell has said she “feels bad” for Prince Andrew as she broke her silence from behind bars.
Earlier this year, the 60-year-old socialite was sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein in his sex trafficking scheme.
She is serving her time at Florida’s low-security FCI Tallahassee prison.
Giving her first interview since her arrest in June 2020, she spoke about Andrew, disgraced paedophile Epstein and Virginia Giuffre.
On the Duke of York, she told The Sun on Sunday: “I feel so bad for him. I follow what is happening to him.”
When she was reportedly told that Andrew’s legal team claimed they were not close friends, she added: “I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction. He is paying such a price for the association.
“I consider him a dear friend. I care about him.”
The explosive piece is based on two interviews - one conducted behind bars in Florida and the other in June at New York’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Centre.
Maxwell also spoke of her regrets about her connection with Epstein and said if she could go back, she would “make different choices”.
In another claim, Maxwell said the infamous photo of Andrew, Ms Giuffre and herself at her Belgravia townhouse in London, is “not real”.
The controversial picture is said to have been snapped at Maxwell’s home in March 2001 when Ms Giuffre was 17.
Ms Giufrre alleged she was trafficked to the UK for sex with Andrew - something he has always strongly denied.
Maxwell said: “The photo is not real. There was never an original one produced. I don’t even want to talk about Virginia.”
She further claimed there were “over 50 problems with the picture” that led her to conclude the image was not real.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Ms Giuffre had lost the original photo.
Andrew told Emily Maitlis during a Newsnight interview in 2019: “From the investigations that we’ve done, you can’t prove whether or not that photograph is faked or not because it is a photograph of a photograph.
“Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored, but I don’t recollect that photograph ever being taken.”
Andrew settled a civil suit claim brought by Ms Giuffre earlier this year but has always denied any wrongdoing.
A statement released at the time read: “Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement.
“The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
“Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.
It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years.
“Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.
“He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
The full interview will be broadcast on ITV, CBS News and Paramount Plus at 6.30pm on 17 October
