Prince Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, is reportedly preparing to challenge an out-of-court settlement reached last year with Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of historical sexual abuse. According to reports in The Sun and Mail on Sunday newspapers, the prince's desire to explore his legal options stems from the collapse of another case brought by his accuser. In November, Giuffre dropped separate sexual abuse allegations she made against US attorney Alan Dershowitz, who had long denied any wrongdoing, admitting she "may have made a mistake" in accusing him.
The civil case was brought in August 2021 by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she had been trafficked by convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and coerced into performing sexual acts for his friends, including the British royal, on multiple occasions while still a teenager. Andrew has continually denied the allegations against him. But dramatic court proceedings led to six months of sordid and embarrassing details and disclosures. A courtroom showdown was ultimately avoided last February, when both parties abruptly reached an out-of-court settlement, and the case was dismissed.
A source quoted by the Mail on Sunday said the prince only ever settled reluctantly, that the money was not important to him, and that he wanted to seek a way back to normal royal life. The prince's lawyers have not responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, CNN understands the prince and his spokesperson have parted ways and he is looking for a new one.
Amid the speculation, Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, defended the duke in a series of interviews from a US federal prison, where she is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking and other related counts of conspiracy. Speaking to UK broadcaster TalkTV, the disgraced British socialite claimed the infamous decades-old photograph of Andrew with a 17-year-old Giuffre was “fake,” before questioning Giuffre’s integrity, saying her “stories have changed so many times.”
Neither Giuffre nor her lawyers have commented on Maxwell’s interview but one of her attorneys, Sigrid McCawley, previously told CNN that they launched the civil case to illustrate that “irrespective of power, privilege or even being a prince, no one is above the law in the United States and all perpetrators of abuse should be held accountable.”
For those wondering why in the world the 62-year-old prince might want to revisit his legal woes, it’s worth remembering that Andrew has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence. He had pledged to fight Giuffre’s accusations but struck a settlement without accepting any blame. Many believe the move was to ensure the case didn’t overshadow his mother’s historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations last summer.
Regardless, when all was said and done, the duke’s transformation into royal pariah was complete. Andrew has never been charged with any criminal offense, but the fallout of his lengthy association with Epstein and the civil case have left his reputation in tatters, while his military titles and patronages were stripped away. These days he’s rarely seen in public, and the only royal events he attends are family occasions like the funerals of his mother and father.
US legal experts tell CNN that if the prince does end up pursuing fresh legal action, it will probably be a protracted process and will trigger further negative media coverage of the beleaguered royal and the rest of the clan. Chaya Weinberg-Brodt, special counsel in the litigation and arbitration team of international law firm Withers, explains that “a settlement agreement is enforceable as a contract – any party seeking to set
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