IN pictures taken at a wild night in Saint Tropez, Prince Andrew was snapped getting very close to socialite Chris Von Aspen.
The pretty blonde was 27 at the time of the photos taken at the poolside party thrown by a Libyan businessman. But who is she and when were they captured together?
Who is Chris Von Aspen?
Christine Von Aspen, was born Christine Vonaspern in a small town in America’s deep south, The Evening Standard reported in 2007.
According to quotes from her dad in the report, she studied music technology at Belmont – a small Christian college in Nashville with aspirations of becoming a singer.
Von Aspen then moved to Hollywood, as friends compared her voice to that of early 2000’s star Joss Stone.
However, she couldn’t make a living as a singer and instead worked as a graphic designer while she dated producer Brad Holmes, 13 years her senior.
A friend of the pair told the Evening Standard at the time: “If social climbing was a sport, she’d be an Olympic gold medallist.”
When she met Andrew, she was reportedly dating French Foreign Legion Officer Bruno Phillipponant – who was reported to be the Mission Officer to Prince Albert II at the time.
When was she pictured with Prince Andrew?
The photographs are thought to be from a flashy showbiz bash in Saint Tropez hosted at a Libyan businessman’s villa in 2007.
It was reported that Andrew asked Haitian artist, Jeffrey Dread to introduce him to Von Aspen telling the artist he thought Chris was “Incredibly beautiful.”
According to the Evening Standard, Dread says: “He was so smitten by her, it was incredible. He said, ‘Oh my God, your friend is beautiful. Can you introduce me?’
“She is going out with Bruno, who is the right-hand man to Prince Albert of Monaco, but I felt it was not my business to say she was dating someone else.
“She danced with Andrew for most of the evening until the party ended at about 3am.
“He followed her everywhere she went, even to the bathroom, and at one point he gave her a head massage.
The under-fire royal claimed he was not the kind of the man who would ever be seen cuddling up to women in public.
Referring to his image he said: “I don’t know why I’ve collected that title because I don’t… I never have really partied.”
He spoke out as he tried to distance himself from a picture which showed him with his arm around Virginia Roberts when she was 17 at a party thrown by paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew said that as a member of the British royal family, hugs and public displays of affection are not things he would do.
Where is Chris Von Aspen now?
Is appears that since her wild night out with the Prince, she’s left the party scene behind.
Her pals claim she now lives a quiet life running a health retreat in Monaco.
Long-tome friend Richard Gradner said: “These photos of her with Prince Andrew do not show Chris’ true character.
“If she was into partying, she has cleaned up her act greatly since those days and taken a different path.”
He explained that Chris is was not party animal more than anyone else, but that she would have gone to Monaco because that’s where “people of influence go”.
