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Prince Andrew's friend Ghislaine Maxwell is living in fear and under 24-hour guard following credible death threats, it has been claimed.

The 58-year-old is said to be frequently moving to various safe houses following the furore around her former boyfriend - disgraced billionaire peadophile Jeffrey Epstein, who hanged himself in jail last year.

It is also claimed she is being guarded round the clock by former US Navy SEALs.

The FBI want to investigate her friendship with the late paedophile but the British socialite and daughter of shamed pub­­lisher Robert Maxwell appears to have vanished.

A source told the Mail on Sunday: "There has been so much rubbish written about Ghislaine. The reality is she receives multiple, credible death threats on a daily basis. The hate mail is sometimes 2ft high.

(Image: Reuters)

"She is constantly moving. Her life is in danger. She is being guarded by the best of the very best and that includes former US Navy SEALs. She’s not under the protection of any government. She’s on her own."

Ghislaine, whom the Duke of York, 59, was introduced to Epstein by, has been accused in several lawsuits of procuring underage girls for Epstein and his wealthy and powerful friends.

She has also strenuously denied any wrongdoing. But since the accusations emerged in 2015 she has become a recluse, shunning the parties she was once a staple of.

And, after Epstein’s August jail suicide, sources close to her claim she being protected.

But sources told The Mail on Sunday Ghislaine has become ‘increasingly frustrated’ with the ‘lies’ being told about her.

(Image: REUTERS)

One said: "She’s become the most hunted and hated woman in the world. The reality is she’s done nothing wrong. Her life has been ruined but she’s fully confident she will be vindicated.

"She has a story to tell and she will tell it when the time is right."

Meanwhile, Virginia Giuffre, who claims the Duke of York had under-age sex with her, is set to return to court.

She has vowed to “take down the 1%” who think they are above the law and make 2020 “a year to be remembered”.

Andrew has strenuously denied all the claims.