Prince Andrew needs to talk to investigators about Jeffrey Epstein 'without delay' - lawyers

Lawyers representing Jeffrey Epstein's victims are pushing for Prince Andrew to immediately speak to US investigators.

Attorney Gloria Allred said the prince should contact authorities in the United States "without conditions and without delay", reports the Associated Press.

The royal recently gave an interview with the BBC where he spoke about his friendship with Epstein, who died in prison in August after being arrested for sex trafficking of minors. 

Prince Andrew admitted he had "let the side down" by staying with Epstein after the billionaire was convicted of paying a teenage girl for sex.

The controversial interview was labelled by some as "catastrophic" and led to the prince announcing he was stepping down from royal duties "for the foreseeable future".

In a statement on Thursday, Prince Andrew admitted his association with the convicted pedophile was a "major disruption" to the work of the royal family.

He also said he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required".

But Allred said Prince Andrew was being too vague.

"Is he insisting that he be served with a subpoena to testify, or is he willing to speak to law enforcement without being legally required to do so?" AP reported her telling the BBC.

In 2008 Epstein pleaded guilty to the charge of solicitation of prostitution involving a minor and served 13 months in prison.

He has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, and earlier this year was arrested on charges of sex trafficking an conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking. He died in prison before he could face trial.

Recently there has been controversy surrounding Epstein's relationship with Prince Andrew, with the royal facing accusations he had sex with then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre.

Prince Andrew vehemently denies the accusations, saying he has no recollection of meeting her, despite a photo of the two of them together. 

Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre.
Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre. Photo credit: Supplied