2022: Prince Andrew Settles Civil Lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre

On approximately February 15, 2022, lawyers for Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Virginia Giuffre filed notice of their agreement to settle Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleging that Prince Andrew had sexually abused her when she was 17.

Giuffre, one of the most prominent accusers of both Epstein and his associates, had filed the civil suit in New York in August 2021. The lawsuit alleged that she had been trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell and that Prince Andrew had sexually abused her on at least three occasions, including in London, New York, and on Epstein’s private island.

The terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed in full. Reports indicated that Prince Andrew would pay a substantial sum — widely reported to be approximately $12 million — and that he would make a donation to Giuffre’s victims’ charitable fund. The settlement included a statement that Prince Andrew “regrets his association with Epstein” and that Giuffre “is an established victim of abuse.”

Critically, the settlement did not involve an admission of liability by Prince Andrew, and no criminal charges were ever filed against him.

The settlement led to Prince Andrew formally relinquishing his remaining public royal duties and military affiliations, which had been suspended after his disastrous 2019 BBC interview. He was stripped of his royal patronages and honorary military rank.

Giuffre accepted the settlement with a statement that she hoped it would send a message to others who believed they were “above the law.”