The Duke of York’s closest supporters have insisted that a photograph showing him with a Jeffrey Epstein victim must have been faked because his fingers are “much chubbier” in real life.

Sources close to Prince Andrew launched an extraordinary fightback against claims that he had sex with Virginia Roberts by suggesting he had been the victim of digital trickery.

“The picture is a fake, and the girl’s story is a fantasy,” a source told the Telegraph.

It comes after repeated claims by Ms Roberts, now Giuffre, that she was forced by Epstein to have sex with the Duke when she was only 17. Earlier this week she declared outside a New York court hearing that the Duke “knows exactly what he has done”.

“I hope he comes clean about it,” she added.

View photos Virginia Giuffre in New York on Tuesday Credit: SHANNON STAPLETON/reuters More

But a source close to the Duke pointed out various “inconsistencies” in a notorious picture apparently taken in 2001 showing him with his arm wrapped around Ms Roberts’ waist. His legal team have requested to see the original image but have been rebuffed by Ms Roberts’ attorneys, the source added.

“Yes, the Duke knows what he has done - absolutely nothing wrong,” the friend said.

“Look at the picture. It has clearly been faked. Andrew’s fingers appear quite slender, like a girl’s fingers. They are also a strange shade of red.

“His real fingers are actually much chubbier - quite small and chubby.

“A tabloid newspaper paid a lot of money years ago for a copy of this photo. But no one has ever seen the original. Doesn’t that seem strange?

“Sadly – it seems to us - this girl is simply out to make a name for herself.”

View photos Flavio Briatore and Naomi Campbell. Bottom right is Virginia Roberts. More

The Duke also believes that he is far taller in real life than he appears in the photograph, it is understood. The source pointed to a picture of Ms Roberts standing next to the model Naomi Campbell, and more recent images showing her alongside other alleged Epstein victims.

“Compare the picture against the others. The Prince is 1.83m tall, while Ms Roberts seems to be of below average height.

“She certainly appears to be much shorter than Naomi Campbell, who is apparently 1.77m tall.

“So it’s strange that she and the Duke appear to be of similar height in the alleged photo. That doesn’t make a lot of sense,” the source said.

Ms Roberts appears to be wearing the same outfit in both photographs, the source added. “It’s an identical pink top. Odd, don’t you think?”

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