The lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting an underage girl was settled during court on Tuesday. Andrew has agreed to pay his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, in order to settle her claims against him. In addition, he agreed to make “a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”. The amount that Prince Andrew agreed to pay has not yet been disclosed in any of the filings.
Consequences for Prince Andrew
Due to the allegations against him, Andrew has been stripped of his military titles and all other honorifics related to him being a member of the British royal family.
The tentative settlement was disclosed in a letter to Judge Lewis Kaplan, written by Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer. Judge Kaplan is expected to dismiss the lawsuit after both sides file a formal stipulation stating that they want to end the case.
Prince Andrew Denies Allegations
Throughout this entire litigation, Andrew has denied all allegations that he sexually abused Giuffra in New York, London, and the U.S. Virgin Islands during the times he was associated with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
This settlement will spare Andrew the shame of facing a public trial in New York, which would undoubtedly draw massive attention from the media.
Possible Connection to Recent Events
This settlement comes less than two months after Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in the same New York courthouse of procuring underage girls to be sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein. In Giuffre’s suit, she similarly alleged that she had sexual relations with Andrew at the direction of Epstein and Maxwell.
In his letter to Judge Kaplan, Giuffre’s attorney wrote “We write jointly with counsel for the defendant to advise the Court that the parties reached a settlement in principle of the above-referenced action.”“The parties anticipate filing a stipulation of dismissal of the case within thirty (30) days. In the interim, the parties request that the Court suspend all deadlines and hold the action in abeyance.”
The document also stated: “Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
Seek Justice for Sexual Abuse
The lawyers at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP have years of experience advocating for the rights of sexual abuse victims. If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual assault and/or abuse, please contact our New York attorneys today for a free consultation.
