The prince has always denied any sexual contact with Ms Giuffre. File Photo: Michel Euler/PA Wire

A woman who accused Prince Andrew of having sex with her when she was under age has challenged him to sue her.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was used as a sex slave by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, made her allegations about the prince on television for the first time.

She warned that she intended to seek justice by holding Epstein's associates accountable in the wake of his suicide.

The prince has always denied any sexual contact with Ms Giuffre.

"He's going to keep denying that it ever happened. But he knows the truth and I know the truth," she told the US network NBC.

Ms Giuffre (36) threw down the gauntlet for the prince to pursue legal action as she appeared alongside five other women who accused Epstein of abusing them.

She says she first met the prince in London in 2001 at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend.

She said: "Unfortunately there's this horrible law called statute of limitations.

"My lawyers said the way to get Ghislaine held accountable, the way to get Epstein held accountable, is through them calling me a liar, which I'm not. It's called a defamation suit."

The television interview is the first time Ms Giuffre has spoken in depth about the allegations since Epstein was rearrested on sex trafficking charges involving dozens of underage girls.

He was found dead in his prison cell in August.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether the prince would consider taking legal action.

A spokeswoman said: "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."

Irish Independent