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A former police officer claimed Prince Andrew “abused” his ­position at the Palace when it came to having female visitors.

Paul Page alleged paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s “madam” Ghislaine Maxwell made frequent trips to the royal ­household, along with others.

He claimed they would rarely sign the Palace’s official gate book, and royal ­protection officers would break the rules by driving them home and Andrew would become abusive if challenged.

It comes as an email from 2013 emerged in which literary agent John Brockman claimed he saw the Prince and his pal Epstein “getting foot massages from two young well-dressed Russian women” in the tycoon’s £70million Manhattan home.

Former Met Police officer Page, who served in the Royal Protection Command from 1998 until 2004, made his allegations during a 2009 trial when he was accused of a £3million investment fraud.

The evidence, in a defence ­statement, was never disclosed to the jury but has been obtained by the Mirror.

He made a string of allegations against former colleagues and bosses.

(Image: PA)

Page claimed: “It was not just the royalty protection officers who abused their position, members of the Royal Household also frequently did.

“The biggest culprit was Prince Andrew. Andrew would often have lady friends come to visit, including frequent visits by Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of the disgraced late Robert Maxwell.”

Maxwell has been accused of acting as Epstein’s “madam”, recruiting girls for the financier’s network of sex slaves, but she denies any wrongdoing.

Page continued: “Very rarely would they have to sign in the ‘gate book’ when entering the Palace grounds, in direct contravention of accepted protocol.

"In ­addition, royalty officers would be told on ­occasion to drive these lady friends home when that was a clear dereliction of their duties.

"When on occasions officers challenged Prince Andrew and/or his guests, Prince Andrew was verbally abusive.

"Any complaints made were not properly dealt with.”

There is no suggestion any of the female visitors were underage. Page was later found guilty of the fraud and was given six years in jail.

Former Chief Superintendent and Head of Royal ­Protection Dai Davies was his boss.

(Image: PA)

He said of the female visitor claims: “This did happen. Royals can bring their own guests into the Palace unvetted and unchecked. That’s their ­prerogative. It is their home.

“Unless there was anything that would give cause for concern royal officers could not intervene.

“It was particularly the case with that individual who had a reputation for being fairly succinct with his words if police tried to intervene. He has been known to be abrupt with police, including myself on occasions.

“It’s fair to say and well-documented that he was involved with a number of fairly glamorous good looking young ladies but I have never been aware, then or since, that any were underage.”

Buckingham Palace said: “During the trial, which resulted in a conviction for fraud, Mr Page made a series of ­allegations about the Royal Household and members of the Royal Family, none of which were substantiated.”

Andrew, 59, has faced claims by Epstein’s teenage “sex slave” Virginia Giuffre, then Roberts, that she was paid to sleep with him three times.

He “categorically” denies the ­allegations. The Mirror understands no royal officers were ­interviewed when Scotland Yard carried out a limited review of the claims in 2015.

(Image: Getty)

They include the Prince’s personal guard who travelled with him on Epstein’s private jet to his US and Caribbean lairs.

A police source said the complaint, made by a third party who represents the victims of sexual abuse, did not proceed to a full probe because a judge in Florida struck out the “lurid” allegations against Andrew from a 2015 court case by another Epstein victim as ­“immaterial and impertinent”.

Scotland Yard said: “We can confirm the Met received an ­allegation of ­non-recent trafficking for sexual exploitation.

"The MPS reviewed the evidence and the decision was made that this would not progress to a full investigation. The matter was closed.”

Chief Paris ­prosecutor Remy Heitz announced yesterday he was opening a ­preliminary probe into the rape of minors and other charges linked to the Epstein case, following “exchanges with US authorities”.

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After Andrew’s divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996, he became friendly with Epstein, 66, who killed himself in prison this month after being accused of sex trafficking – and also with Epsteins’ alleged ­accomplice Maxwell, 57. Page’s claims are detailed in Michael Gillard’s book For Queen and Currency.

Buckingham Palace said: “Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.

"The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes... and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.

“It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts.

"Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”