Lawyers for the woman who has accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse claim they have successfully served him with legal papers, according to BBC.
Virginia Giuffre has launched a civil case against the prince in New York – and legal papers have to be “served” before the case can proceed.
Her lawyers say they were served on 27 August, being left with a police officer at Windsor’s Royal Lodge.
Prince Andrew denies all the claims made by Ms Giuffre.
A spokeswoman representing the Duke of York has declined to comment on the latest development.
A US judge must determine whether the papers were in fact “served” before any case can proceed.
A video conference on the next stages of the case is scheduled for a New York court on Monday.
According to court documents, an answer is due from Prince Andrew to the affidavit by 17 September and “if you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint”.
BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said it was still not clear yet whether Prince Andrew’s legal team would accept that legal papers have been served.
The prince is currently at Balmoral, the Queen’s Scottish estate.
The agent was told the security team “had been told not to accept service of any court process”.
He was then given a solicitor’s name and number, phoning him at 10:40, but did not get a response.
On Friday 27 August, the same process server returned to the Royal Lodge in Windsor and spoke to the “head of security”.
He was advised the papers could be left with police at the main gates, which would be forwarded to the legal team.
The papers state: “The deponent did enquire whether it was possible to meet personally with the defendant, but the deponent was told that this was not possible.”
Ms Giuffre’s legal team claim that by leaving the papers with the officer, the service was successfully completed.
Our correspondent Nicholas Witchell said the tactics of Prince Andrew’s legal team appeared to be just not to respond at all.
