Platinum jubilee year 'to be marred by Prince Andrew case': Queen's special anniversary is set to be dogged by her son's court drama as key moments in Virginia Giuffre case will be heard in the run-up to national celebrations
- Prince Andrew's court case will be heard ahead of the Queen's platinum jubilee
- The civil case brought by a Jeffrey Epstein victim is to begin as soon as possible
- Judge Kaplan plans to draw a line under amendments to action by December 15
- Events to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne will last throughout next year
The Queen's platinum jubilee is set to be dogged by her son Andrew's court drama, it emerged last night.
Documents lodged in the US show the civil case of rape and sexual assault being brought against him by a Jeffrey Epstein victim is to go ahead as quickly as possible.
Judge Lewis Kaplan has ruled, with the agreement of both parties, that all disclosures and depositions should be completed before July next year.
This means that key moments in the case will be heard in the run-up to the official national celebrations to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne.
Documents show the civil case of rape and sexual assault being brought against Prince Andrew (pictured) by a Jeffrey Epstein victim is to go ahead as quickly as possible
The commemorations will last throughout the year and will see senior royals – except Andrew – travel around the country and overseas.
The events will culminate in a four-day bank holiday over the first weekend of June.
The latest court document shows that Judge Kaplan intends to draw a line under any amendments to the New York proceedings by December 15.
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All disclosures relating to expert witnesses should be made by June 13 with the disclosure process complete a month later.
One US legal expert described the scheduling order as 'brisk'.
Andrew, who was a close friend of financier and convicted paedophile Epstein, has always denied Virginia Giuffre's claims that she was trafficked by her abuser to have sex with him on three occasions when she was 17.
This means that key moments in the case will be heard in the run-up to the official national celebrations to mark the Queen's (pictured) 70 years on the throne
Although the prince and his legal team were shocked when she suddenly lodged a civil claim against him in April, they now intend to use it to try to prove his innocence once and for all.
They have until this Friday to respond to the claims in her lawsuit, with a further hearing at a court in Manhattan due to be held next week.
Epstein killed himself while in custody.
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