The Civil Lawsuit
In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Prince Andrew (His Royal Highness the Duke of York). The complaint alleged that Andrew had sexually abused Giuffre when she was 17 years old.
The Allegations
Giuffre alleged abuse took place on three occasions: at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London residence, at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, and on Epstein’s private island. Andrew denied all allegations.
Andrew’s Legal Strategy
Andrew’s legal team initially argued that a 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein included provisions that released third parties like Andrew from civil claims. Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected this argument in January 2022.
The Settlement
Following the rejection of the third-party release argument which meant Andrew would have to face a trial and potentially give a deposition Andrew reached a civil settlement with Giuffre in February 2022. The amount was undisclosed but reported to be approximately 12 million.
Consequences for Andrew
Following the settlement, Andrew was stripped of remaining royal military honors and patronages. King Charles III made clear Andrew would not return to public royal duties.