London, October 29: A well-known socialite has been named as one of the two alleged blackmailers who tried to extort 50,000 pounds from a member of the British royal family over a sex and drugs scandal.

The blackmailer duo—Sean McGuigan and Ian Strachan of Battersea and Chelsea respectively—allegedly threatened to release a video they claimed indicated that the royal had engaged in a sex act with an aide. Among the blackmailers, Strachen is the said socialite.

The footage reportedly shows cocaine being cut up on a coffee table with a Harrods chargecard before being snorted by a royal aide.

It is also said that the aide was given an envelope marked with the royal insignia containing cocaine.

The recordings are believed to have been made by mobile phone and by hidden tape recorders at a flat near Buckingham Palace.

Strachan, a university-educated businessman and socialite, lives with his mother in Chelsea. He has told his lawyers he has met Princes William and Harry twice, as well as Zara Phillips and Lord Frederick Windsor.

Rome-based lawyer Giovanni Di Stefano, who is representing Strachan, claimed a video of the alleged sex act had never existed.

"I wish to state there is no tape of a sex act in existence. What there is in existence are tapes, both audio and visual of an assistant to a member of the royal Family boasting of how the person received a sex act from this (member of the royal family) - whether that act took place I do not know," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

"At no time did my client call the royal household. He in fact called the private business office of the individual concerned. My client denies that he asked for any money and that it was in fact the office of the individual concerned who first offered money," he added.

He also revealed that Strachan was being held in top security Belmarsh jail.

Scotland Yard has confirmed that two men have been charged with blackmail.

"A 30-year- old man and a 40-year-old man appeared at City of Westminster magistrates' court on September 13, each charged with one count of blackmail," said a spokesman, adding that the hearing was held "in camera" with no members of the press or public present.

Both men are due to appear at the Old Bailey Criminal Court in December. (ANI)