Prince Andrew has allegedly been served with a civil lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre

Prince Andrew has been surrounded by controversy this past few years due to his connection with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein died in an apparent suicide in 2019 while being held without bail on charges of sex trafficking girls. And British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell is currently in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Prince Andrew has found himself involved in the case due to his close relationship with both Maxwell and Epstein, and the reports made by one woman, Virginia Giuffre, formerly Roberts, that she was allegedly brought to the UK aged 17 to have sex with the royal. According to Giuffre, she was introduced to Prince Andrew by Ghislaine.

While the Duke of York stepped back from his public duties, the royal family has denied the claims, with Prince Andrew explaining during his controversial 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis that he had no recollection of meeting her.

Last month, the scandal resurfaced as Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against the Duke of York, accusing him of sexual abuse. And as of this week, it was reported that Prince Andrew has been served the lawsuit.

'Today my attorney filed suit against Prince Andrew for sexual abuse under the Child Victims Act,' Giuffre announced in a statement to People last month. 'As the suit lays out in detail, I was trafficked to him and sexually abused by him. I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one's life by speaking out and demanding justice.'

According to lawyers representing Giuffre, the civil lawsuit was given to a Metropolitan Police officer at entrance to The Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew's home on 27 August.

The royal family has not yet responded.