Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has settled a civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre. The settlement, announced in February 2022, includes an undisclosed payment and a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity. The duke makes no admission of liability.
The settlement comes a month after it was announced that Prince Andrew's military titles and royal patronages would be returned to the Queen. He will also stop using the title His Royal Highness in an official capacity, though he retains it. The 61-year-old is the Queen's third child and ninth in line to the throne.
Ms Giuffre alleged the duke sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was under 18, as part of sex trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations, stating in a 2019 BBC Newsnight interview that he had no recollection of meeting her.
Prince Andrew's military appointments were suspended in 2019 when he stepped back from public duties. He has lost roles including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards and Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Lancers, as well as overseas honorary titles. He retains his service rank as Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy.
The duke's finances have come under scrutiny. He received an annual sum from the Sovereign Grant until 2019, and now may receive money from the Queen's private funds. He also has an armed forces pension of about £20,000 a year and is selling a Swiss chalet purchased for between £8m and £13m.
