Status: 15.02.2022 6:17 p.m
The abuse scandal involving Britain’s Prince Andrew takes a turn. Finally, it was said that the royal wanted to go to court and testify under oath. An agreement is reached outside of the courtroom.
The British Prince Andrew has reached an out-of-court settlement with the plaintiff Virginia Giuffre in the abuse proceedings in New York. This was announced by Giuffre’s lawyer David Boies in a letter to the competent New York federal court. In a letter to New York judge Lewis Kaplan, both parties to the conflict announced that they would request a stay of the trial.
How much the 61-year-old will pay Giuffre has not been made public. Queen Elizabeth II’s second son wants to make a “significant donation” to an organization founded by Giuffre to help victims of abuse. If the agreement is accepted by the court, civil litigation would be off the table.
Prince Andrew sued
Giuffre says he was sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew in 2001 when he was 17. She had sued Queen Elizabeth II’s second eldest son, saying she had been forced into sexual encounters with the prince in 2001 by US millionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime partner Ghislaine Maxwell. The abuse occurred at Maxwell’s London home, Epstein’s New York mansion and Epstein’s Virgin Islands home.
allegations denied
Prince Andrew has repeatedly vehemently denied the allegations, saying he has no memory of ever meeting Giuffre.
Experts had previously disagreed as to whether the prince would agree to a deal because it could look like an admission of guilt to the outside world. Recently it was said that Prince Andrew is facing the trial and should testify under oath before Giuffre’s lawyers on March 10 at a “neutral place” in London. Giuffre was also asked to testify under oath.
No more ranks
Because of the allegations and his previous contacts with Epstein, Prince Andrew gave up his royal duties in 2019 and largely withdrew from the public. In January he lost his military titles and royal patronage. Because in royal circles there was great concern that the scandal could overshadow the celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th jubilee.
A trial in New York would probably have taken place in the fall and attracted huge media attention.
No trial in New York – Prince Andrew agrees with alleged abuse victim
Peter Mücke, ARD New York, February 15, 2022 at 6:36 p.m