In an unexpected development, court documents filed in New York on Tuesday reveal that Prince Andrew has reached a settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to have sex with him when she was 17. The Duke of York had previously insisted he would never settle and had sought a jury trial.
Giuffre, now 38, alleged that Andrew met her at London's Tramp nightclub in 2001 and assaulted her at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as on two further occasions, including at Jeffrey Epstein's New York residence and on his private island. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.
The settlement comes after a lengthy legal battle, during which Andrew attempted to have the lawsuit thrown out. Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled in January that the case could proceed, rejecting Andrew's claims that Giuffre's allegations lacked specificity. Andrew was due to give evidence under oath in March.
Under the terms, Andrew will make a “substantial donation” to a charity supporting victims' rights and has acknowledged that Giuffre “suffered as an established victim of abuse”. He makes no admission of liability. The full financial details remain undisclosed.
The settlement will come as a relief to the Queen, as the royal family feared the case would overshadow the platinum jubilee celebrations. Andrew’s reputation has suffered seriously since his association with Epstein became public, and he stepped back from public duties in 2019.
