Royals and sex scandals seem to go together like gingernuts and tea, but Buckingham Palace has denied that Prince Andrew was involved with “sex slaves” as claimed in court proceedings involving the US financier Jeffrey Epstein, a friend of the prince’s.

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The BBC report that a woman named him in documents she filed in a Florida court over how prosecutors handled a case against Epstein.

She claims that between 1999 and 2002 she was forced by Epstein to have sex with the prince when she was a minor.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which the Duke of York is not a party. “As such we would not comment on the detail. However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue”.

The prince has not been immune from controversy before. The court papers said the alleged encounters took place around 1999 to 2002.

The woman making claims against Prince Andrew – only identified as “Jane Doe No.3″ – is one of two new accusers asking a West Palm Beach, Florida, judge to allow them to join the existing lawsuit against Epstein. The royal is not named as a defendant in that case, and no criminal charges or formal allegations have been made against him.

It was not the first time Prince Andrew has faced media scrutiny over his friendship with Epstein. In July 2011 the royal stepped down from his role as a U.K. trade ambassador following controversy over his links with the billionaire.