PRINCE Andrew has suggested that the photo of him with his arm around 17-year-old sex slave Virginia Roberts was faked and has commissioned investigators to examine it.

Here, we look at the Duke of York's main arguments following his bombshell TV interview on BBC Newsnight with Emily Maitlis.

10 Prince Andrew has suggested that the photo of him with his arm around 17-year-old sex slave Virginia Roberts is fake

'Those are my travelling clothes'

ANDREW says his clothes in the picture, supposedly taken at Ghislaine Maxwell’s Belgravia house in March 2001, were “travelling clothes” and not what he would wear on London nights out.

But The Sun on Sunday found pictures of him in near-identical attire on a 2001 night out in the capital.

'I didn't go upstairs at Ghislaine'

THE Prince claimed he had never been upstairs in Maxwell’s townhouse.

He said: “The photograph is taken upstairs and I don’t think I ever went upstairs in Ghislaine’s house.”

Asked if he was sure, he said: “Yeah, because the dining room and everything was on the ground floor.”

10 The bombshell interview aired on BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis

10 The Duke of York maintains he does not remember meeting Virginia Roberts Credit: BBC supplied by Pixel8000 07917221968

'I'm not one to, as it were, hug'

ANDREW doubts the picture is real because he does not usually hug in public.

The snap shows him with his arm wrapped around Virginia’s waist.

But he said that as a royal, hugs and “public displays of affection are not something that I do”.

'We can't be certain that it's my hand'

PALS have suggested that the hand around Virginia’s waist is not Andrew’s — as his fingers are chubbier.

He said: “That’s me, but whether that’s my hand or whether that’s the position I… we can’t be certain as to whether or not that’s my hand.”

'I've never seen him with a camera'

THE Duke also cast doubt on the picture by saying he had never seen Epstein “with a camera in my life”.

The sex offender is said to have taken the photo. Newsnight pointed out that Virginia has consistently claimed it was taken by Epstein on her Kodak.

'It's a photo of a photo of a photo'

THE Prince has cast doubt on the image, calling it a “photograph of a photograph of a photograph”.

But it is just a snap of Virginia’s original picture.

She is said to have given the original, along with 19 other images, to FBI investigators in 2011.

Prince Andrew says he was at Pizza Express in Woking on night he allegedly had sex with Epstein ‘sex slave’ during BBC Newsnight interview

The biggest takeaways from the Prince Andrew interview

Epstein was invited to Windsor Castle as a ‘plus one’ for Ghislaine Maxwell

Prince Andrew doesn’t regret his friendship with Epstein

The royal regrets visiting the paedo in NYC in December 2010 and said he went to end his friendship – when the infamous photo was snapped

The 59-year-old claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Virginia Roberts alleges she had sex with him aged 17

The prince claims he can’t sweat after Ms Roberts alleged he ‘sweat profusely’

The Duke of York would testify under oath ‘if push came to shove’

Prince Andrew described Epstein’s behaviour as ‘unbecoming’

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10 Prince Andrew sat down with BBC's Emily Maitlis to speak about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein for the first time

10 The royal was infamously pictured with his arm around Virginia when she was 17 at a party thrown by Epstein Credit: Rex Features

Epstein, who was found hanged in jail earlier this year, had been friends with the Duke of York since 1999

Who is Virginia Roberts? Mum-of-three Virginia Roberts, now Virginia Giuffre, 36, has alleged that she was procured by Ghislaine Maxwell - Epstein’s ex-lover - to work as a 'sex slave'

Ms Roberts alleges she met Ms Maxwell while working at Donald Trump's Mar-aLago resprt in Florida.

Legal documents from a 2015 defamation case - released the day before Epstein killed himself - featured claims that Prince Andrew slept with Ms Roberts three times.

The Duke of York strongly denies the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.

Giuffre says her account is '99 per cent true' but her own former lawyers have described it as 'fictionalised.'

She claims she first met royal dad-of-two Prince Andrew on a trip to London in 2001 when she was 17 and Epstein and Maxwell were also there.

The Duke of York also insists that he was in a Pizza Express on the night he allegedly slept with Virginia Roberts, a “sex slave” of his paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.

And when asked about claims that he and Virginia had sex, he said: “I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened.”

Prince Andrew admitted he was being "too honourable" by staying with paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein - but insisted it was "convenient" for him.

In the interview shown on BBC2 last night, Andrew told Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis he did not regret his friendship with the late Epstein but that the fallout has damaged his mental health.

The grovelling Duke of York has apologised for his friendship with the millionaire saying he "let the side down".

10 The Duchess of York shared this message saying she will stand by the prince 'every step of the way' Credit: sarahferguson15/Instagram

Accuser Virginia Roberts claims she met Prince Andrew at London club Tramp before sleeping with him in 2001.

But Andrew, dad to Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29, with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, said: “That couldn’t have happened because the date being suggested — the 10th of March — I was at home with the children.

“I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon.

“And then because the Duchess was away, we have a simple rule in the family that when one is away the other is there.”

Fergie has also spoken out to defend her ex-husband, branding him a "true gentleman".

10 Sarah Ferguson defended Prince Andrew ahead of his bombshell interview on BBC Credit: Getty - Contributor

10 Prince Andrew pictured with Sarah Ferguson and their daughters

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The Duchess of York said on Instagram the prince was "giant of a principled man" ahead of his bombshell interview.

She shared a message of support today saying she was with him "every step of the way".

The 60-year-old wrote: "It is so rare to meet people that able to speak from their hearts with honesty and pure real truth, that remain steadfast and strong to their beliefs.

"Andrew is a true and real gentleman and is stoically steadfast to not only his duty but also his kindness and goodness of always seeing the best of people.

"I am deeply supportive and proud of this giant of a principled man, that dares to put his shoulder to the wind and stands firm with his sense of honour and truth.

"For so many years he has gone about his duties for Great Britain and The Monarch.

"It is time for Andrew to stand firm now, and that he has, and I am with him every step of the way and that is my honour.

"We have always walked tall and strong, he for me and me for him.

"We are the best examples of joint parenting, with both our girls and go back to my three C's - Communicate, Compromise, Compassion."