He will undergo intense training in preparation, not least after his disastrous performance on BBC’s Newsnight in Nov 2019.

The grilling will be “humiliating” and thorough, legal experts said, covering every aspect of his private life and sexual history.

Moira Penza, a former federal prosecutor in New York, said: “Once there has been a deposition, there is always the potential for it to become public in one way or another.

“This is the point when he would typically be considering whether or not to engage in settlement negotiations. There is leverage now. Prince Andrew will not want to go through a deposition.”

‘A very real pressure point’ for the Duke

Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor now practising with Rottenberg Lipman Rich, a New York law firm, described Mr Boies as a “very, very skilful advocate”, a master of the art of deposition taking who was worthy of fear.

He said: “In the history of American jurisprudence there is nobody better at taking a deposition than David Boies. This is a very real pressure point for Prince Andrew. 

“Knowing the way David Boies prepares for a deposition, he and his people will have command over all documentary evidence and will devise a strategy to use that information to trap Prince Andrew in an untenable position.

“It may be that the trap is sprung during the deposition or otherwise it will be set there to be sprung later.”

Mr Boies has publicly stated that Ms Giuffre will settle only if she receives a public apology.

Mr Epner added: “If Prince Andrew is unwilling to apologise, I can’t see how she would want to settle before a deposition. Prince Andrew has only bad choices in front of him.”