Prince Andrew pays Virginia Giuffre to settle sexual assault case
Both parties file order calling for civil case action to be dismissed
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Your support makes all the difference.Prince Andrew has paid his financial settlement to Virginia Giuffre following a seven-month case in which he was accused of sexually abusing her when she was 17.
“Stipulation of Dismissal” court documents were filed on Monday calling for the civil sexual assault action to be dismissed. The joint order added that each party would pay their own costs and fees.
Once Judge Lewis Kaplan signs the order, the long-running civil case will come to an official end.
The Duke of York, who denies any wrongdoing, has faced calls to confirm how he funded the multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement – which is reported to be as much as £12m – and whether the Queen or even the Prince of Wales contributed to the sum.
Ms Giuffre was suing the Queen’s second son for sexual abuse, saying Prince Andrew had sex with her when she was a minor and had been trafficked by his friend, the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The prince, who has stepped down from royal duties and public life, claimed he never met Ms Giuffre.
The duke reached the out-of-court multi-million-pound settlement with Ms Giuffre last month, meaning both sides avoided the case going to trial. As part of the agreement, he was due to pay damages to Ms Giuffre and a donation to a charity “in support of victims’ rights”.
In a joint statement confirming the settlement at the time, the prince said he regretted his association with Epstein, who he acknowledged “trafficked countless young girls over many years”.
Prince Andrew, who had reportedly come under pressure from the Queen not to take the case to court, said he also accepted that Ms Giuffre was “an established victim of abuse” who had been subjected to “unfair public attacks” and said he “commends the bravery” of her and other survivors.
The Queen took steps to distance the royal family from Prince Andrew and protect the monarchy brand as the prospect of a trial loomed.
She stripped him of his honorary military roles, and he also had to give up using his HRH – a style he was born with.
Legal experts put estimates of Prince Andrew’s total costs at more than £10m, but there has been no official confirmation of the amount.
Nick Goldstone, head of dispute resolution at international law firm Ince, told The Independent that figure would include costs on both sides, the charitable donation and “one must presume, in addition, some damages”.
He said in settling the case the prince had avoided the risk of an even higher bill if he lost the trial, adding: “The sky’s the limit with a New York jury in a case like this.”
Ms Giuffre’s legal team made clear previously that she was not interested in reaching a “purely financial settlement” and that she wanted to be “vindicated” in the case.
Additional reporting by PA