Ghislaine Maxwell's friend claims 'spoiled and entitled' Prince Andrew 'doesn't know a lot' about what went on at paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's mansions because 'he's not that intelligent' and didn't ask questions

A friend of Ghislaine Maxwell's claims the 'spoiled and entitled' Prince Andrew 'doesn't know a lot' about what Jeffrey Epstein's was doing. 

Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Laura Goldman was asked how much the duke knew about the convicted paedophile's actions.

She replied: 'Prince Andrew doesn't know a lot. Partially because he's not that intelligent, and he is spoiled and entitled so he didn't really ask questions about what was happening.' 

Maxwell appeared in court in the US on Thursday accused of helping disgraced financier Epstein 'identify, befriend and groom' multiple girls, including one as young as 14.

Ms Goldman defended her close friend this morning and told presenters Piers Morgan and Susannah Reid that Maxwell was a 'victim'.

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Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts, (middle) aged 17 at Ghislaine Maxwell's (right) townhouse in London, on March 13, 2001

She said: 'I believe in supporting my friend she is a victim of Jeffrey Epstein just like many other people were, it doesn't mean that what she did was right, she should pay for her crimes.'  

On why Maxwell didn't leave Epstein after his conviction in 2008, she said: 'He would not let her leave. She tried many many times. There were things he had on her that if she had left in an angry way would have destroyed her life.'

Her close friend also explained why Maxwell went into hiding after Epstein died and did not go straight to the FBI.

She said: 'From what she's told me and her defence of that is, she did what her lawyers told her to do. They felt that going in because of the circus atmosphere of the case and feeding frenzy, you know its sort of like the salem witch trials 2.0. 

'They felt she couldn't go into the FBI and have a somewhat civil conversation.' 

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Andrew was friend's with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted paedophile, who killed himself last year

Ms Goldman added she knew her friend was in trouble because she was eating a lot, and was 'famous for not eating'. 

The former investment banker previously said the British socialite regarded Andrew as a friend and was 'never going to say anything' about him to investigators.

Ms Goldman, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday she would 'have to' go for a plea deal with prosecutors.

Asked if Maxwell would speak about the duke as part of the investigation, Ms Goldman said: 'She has always told me she would never, ever say anything about him.

'I think she felt he was her friend and she was never going to say anything about him.

'She felt in the 90s when her father died that Prince Andrew was there for her.'

Ms Goldman said she last spoke to Maxwell 'a couple of weeks ago' prior to her arrest in New Hampshire on Thursday, adding: 'She knew she was coming to the end of the road.'