• Duke flew to New York from London on April 9 2001 on Outward Bound Trust trip
• Landed at lunchtime and appears to have had a free afternoon in the city
• Virginia Roberts was on Epstein's 'Lolita Express' jet in New Jersey that day
• Former aide told Telegraph the duke had free time but 'no idea' if he met Epstein 

Prince Andrew had 'gaps' in his diary and was allegedly unaccompanied for several hours in New York at a time when Virginia Roberts was in the US and said they had sex, a former aide has claimed today.

The Duke of York denied the alleged liaison with Jeffrey Epstein's 'slave' was possible because of his full itinerary while in the city as patron of the Outward Bound Trust in April 2001.

In his excruciating interview with the BBC's Emily Maitlis he appeared to squirm when asked about it but replied he was too busy working and said: 'I don't think that could have happened at all'.

But today a former aide on the US trip to the Big Apple and then Boston told the Telegraph there were gaps in his itinerary but was unsure if the duke met with Epstein.

The Court Circular — the royal family's official public diary — shows that he jetted into New York from London on the morning of April 9 2001, landing at around midday and had a free afternoon.

On the same day Roberts flew into a private airport near New York on Epstein's 'Lolita Express' private jet, which later flew to his US Virgin Islands hideaway, now nicknamed 'paedo island' because of the crimes committed there.

Andrew had nothing pencilled in for his first day in New York and the aide who briefed the Telegraph last night was asked if the duke went to meet Epstein and said: 'I've no idea'.

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