Prince Andrew has been spotted with a top libel lawyer as he attempts to distance himself from the scandal over his friendship with late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duke of York was seen touring the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on Monday morning, along with Paul Tweed, a Co Down-born lawyer who specialises in defamation cases and made his name internationally acting for a number of high-profile celebrity clients including Harrison Ford, Jennifer Lopez and Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

Tweed, who specialises in reputation management, represented X Factor judge and band manager Louis Walsh in an action against The Sun newspaper in which Walsh was awarded €500,000.

It was the prince’s third public engagement in three days and is among his first since the scandal broke. He had been due to open a railway station during his visit to Northern Ireland this week, but it emerged earlier this month that had been cancelled.

Epstein was found hanged in his cell on August 10 in New York while facing fresh charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex.

The prince has been dogged by allegations of impropriety with underage girls introduced to him by Epstein.

It has been reported that Tweed is a family friend of the Yorks and is not representing the prince.

Buckingham Palace has issued strong denials in response to claims from a woman who said she was forced to have underage sex with the duke.

Virginia Roberts alleged in court papers in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the US state.

The palace has called the allegations “false and without any foundation”, saying “any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors” by the duke was “categorically untrue”.

Andrew was photographed with the billionaire in New York’s Central Park in December 2010 following Epstein’s release from prison. He was also seen on video inside Epstein’s townhouse the same year.

Andrew said in a statement on August 24: “At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to (Epstein’s) arrest and conviction.”