Prince Andrew is set to settle the sexual abuse case and donate to charity

NEW YORK >> Britain’s Prince Andrew has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who said she was trafficked into British royalty at the age of 17 by financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The deal, described in a court filing in New York today, avoids a trial that would have further embarrassed the monarchy. It urges the prince to make a sizeable donation to his accuser’s charity, while saying he never intended to slander her character.

Attorney David Boies, representing Giuffre, told the presiding judge in New York that an agreement in principle has been reached and attorneys for both sides will move within a month to dismiss the lawsuit.

A lawyer for Andrew did not immediately respond for comment.

The letter, signed by Boies, said all attorneys asked the judge to suspend all deadlines and to shelve the case.

Giuffre sued Andrew in August. The American accused the British royal family of sexually abusing her while she was with financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew has vigorously denied Giuffre’s allegations and is seeking to have the lawsuit dropped.

Accompanying the letter from Boies was a statement that read: “Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement. The parties will file a conditional termination upon receipt of the settlement (the amount of which will not be disclosed).

“Prince Andrew intends to make a sizeable donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew never intended to slander Ms Giuffre’s character and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.”

According to the statement, Prince Andrew acknowledged that Epstein trafficked “countless young girls” over many years and said the prince “regrets his association with Epstein and commends the courage of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors to stand up for themselves and others.” “.

He also pledged to support sex trafficking victims to show his regret.

The preliminary settlement comes weeks after Judge Lewis A. Kaplan last month denied the prince’s attempt to win an early dismissal of the lawsuit, meaning testimony and other evidence gatherings could begin.

After Kaplan ruled, Andrew – who had already resigned from royal duties – was stripped of his honorary military titles and roles, as well as leadership of various charities known as royal patrons. He is also no longer allowed to use the official title “His Royal Highness”.

The decision was an attempt to protect the House of Windsor from the consequences of potentially years of dirty headlines should the suit go ahead.

“With the consent and assent of the Queen, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronage have been returned to the Queen,” the palace said, using the Prince’s formal title. “The Duke of York will continue to refrain from public duties and is defending this case as a private individual.”

The move came after more than 150 veterans and serving members of the armed forces asked the Queen to strip her second son of his military titles, saying he had failed to uphold the “highest standards of probity, honesty and honorable conduct”. are expected by British officers.

Giuffre claimed she met Andrew while traveling frequently with Epstein between 2000 and 2002, when her attorneys claimed she was “on call for Epstein for sexual purposes” and was “loaned to other powerful men,” including Andrew. Her lawsuit states she still suffers from significant emotional and psychological distress and harm.

Andrew has repeatedly denied Giuffre’s allegations, saying he doesn’t recall ever meeting her.

Andrew served in the Royal Navy for two decades, including as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War. Military honors he lost included several overseas, such as his title as Colonel in the Royal New Zealand Army’s Logistics Regiment.

He has spent years battling concerns about his ties to Epstein, the US financier who took his own life in 2019 at age 66 in a Manhattan federal prison while awaiting trial on child trafficking charges. Epstein’s longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted on related charges last month.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly, as Giuffre did.

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