Ms Andriano, who was 14 at the time, said Ms Giuffre, then aged 17, brought her to Epstein’s house in Palm Beach, Florida, where the pair were greeted by Maxwell.

She said the girls, who were friends from school, were paid $300 (£230) in $100 bills at the end of each encounter.

Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard lawyer who once represented Epstein, this week formally asked a Manhattan court if he could question Ms Andriano about a similar account she gave at Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial.

Lawyers for Ms Giuffre defended their client, saying there was no such thing as a “perfect” victim and that Ms Giuffre was a vulnerable young woman abused by predatory older men.

Ms Giuffre has said that Epstein and Maxwell forced her to have sex with public figures, including Mr Dershowitz and the duke, when she was either 17 or 18. She asserted that she had sex with Mr Dershowitz, a longtime criminal defence lawyer known for representing high-profile clients including former President Donald Trump, at least six times in Epstein’s various residences. Both men deny the allegations.

Representatives for the prince declined to comment.