Prince Andrew Settles with Virginia Giuffre — February 2022
Prince Andrew reaches a confidential out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, resolving the civil lawsuit in which Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to Andrew by Jeffrey Epstein beginning at age 17. Reports place the settlement in the range of $12-15 million, paid at least in part from the Queen's personal funds.
People Involved
On February 15, 2022, Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre announced they had reached a confidential settlement resolving Giuffre’s civil lawsuit against the Duke of York.
The Lawsuit’s Background
Giuffre had filed her federal civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in August 2021, alleging she had been sexually abused by Andrew on three occasions beginning in 2001, when she was 17, as part of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. Andrew denied all allegations.
Pre-Trial Motions
In January 2022, a federal judge had dismissed a preliminary motion by Andrew’s legal team to throw out the case based on the settlement document from Giuffre’s earlier case against Epstein. The judge ruled the case could proceed, removing a key defense argument.
Settlement
The settlement was reached on February 15, 2022, just days before both parties were scheduled for depositions. The settlement terms were confidential, but multiple reports cited figures in the $12-15 million range. Reports also indicated that Queen Elizabeth II contributed to the settlement from her personal funds.
Andrew’s Statement
As part of the settlement, Andrew issued a public statement acknowledging Giuffre’s “bravery” in standing up for other survivors and addressing her suffering. He expressed “regret” for his association with Epstein but did not admit liability.
Removal from Public Life
Andrew had already been stripped of his military titles and patronages in January 2022, effectively removing him from public royal duties. The settlement confirmed that he would not return to public royal life.
Significance
The Giuffre-Andrew settlement was one of the highest-profile resolutions directly tied to the Epstein network, holding a senior member of a royal family — for the first time in modern history — financially accountable for alleged involvement in sex trafficking.