Prince Andrew’s lawyers insist he offered to help Epstein investigators

Prince Andrew’s legal team insisted Monday that he has repeatedly offered to meet Jeffrey Epstein investigators — dismissing US moves to force his cooperation as a publicity stunt.

“The Duke of York has on at least three occasions this year offered his assistance as a witness” to the US Department of Justice, his legal representatives, Blackfords, said in a statement Monday.

Claiming the shamed prince had a “desire to provide cooperation” to help victims of his late pedophile pal, Blackfords said they “were given an unequivocal assurance that our discussions and the interview process would remain confidential.”

But US officials have repeatedly said he spurned their requests, reportedly leading the feds to file a “mutual legal assistance” request to the UK Home Office to force the disgraced royal to testify.

“In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered,” the legal team said of US prosecutors.

The 60-year-old prince — who has been accused of having sex three times with one of Epstein’s accusers, starting when she was 17 — sought legal help when investigators first approached him in early January, Blackfords said.

It was the first time he had been asked to help in the “more than 16 years” authorities had been “actively investigating” Epstein, the firm noted.

“Importantly, the DOJ advised us that the Duke is not and has never been a ‘target’ of their criminal investigations into Epstein and that they sought his confidential, voluntary co-operation,” Blackfords claimed.

Repeated claims that he refused to help were “inaccurate, and they should not have been made,” the legal team said.

They also gave the “worldwide audience … an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them.”

“Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by press briefings in the US, he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen,” the firm griped.

“Any pursuit of an application for mutual legal assistance would be disappointing, since the Duke of York is not a target of the DOJ investigation and has recently repeated his willingness to provide a witness statement.”

Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations against him.

He was booted from royal duties six months ago after a train-wreck BBC interview in which he tried to justify his long-term friendship with Epstein, who killed himself in his Manhattan lockup in August.