According to reports, Virginia Giuffre may speak out regarding the Prince Andrew matter following the Queen’s Jubilee.
Yesterday, the Duke of York avoided a legal battle after reaching a “principle settlement” in the civil sex claim filed in the United States with complainant Ms Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre claims that after being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times.
Andrew has always categorically refuted Ms Giuffre’s allegations.
The settlement amount will not be released, although it is estimated that the Duke has agreed to pay £12 million, with two million of that going to Ms Giuffre’s charity.
Ms Giuffre will continue to share her tale, according to a carefully worded statement released yesterday, and the Duke will help “the fight against the evils of sex trafficking.”
Furthermore, the 61-year-old disgraced prince intends to make “a considerable donation to Ms Giuffre’s foundation in support of victims’ rights.”
According to The Times, Ms Giuffre would be forced to wait before speaking in an apparent attempt to limit harm to the Royal Family during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities.
According to one lawyer who is not engaged in the case, the settlement would allow Ms Giuffre to write a book on her side of the incident.
“Normally, you would have a total non-disclosure [agreement] on both sides,” Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor and an attorney with the New York firm Rottenberg Lipman Rich, told The Times.
He further stated that in this case, “since it’s a settlement in the context of, on the surface, an apology from Prince Andrew,” he believes Ms Giuffre “has promised not to say anything [but] she will be in a position to publish a book, most likely for this Christmas season.”
“She will be able to express whatever she believes the truth is regarding Prince Andrew,” he added.
Andrew has always disputed Ms Giuffre’s charges, and despite a settlement, he has not accepted any wrongdoing.
Mr Epner believes Prince Andrew has agreed to pay Ms Giuffre personally at least £3.7 million as part of the settlement.
The legal agreement will also include a charitable donation and legal fees.
“I have a reasonable estimate that his legal fees to carry the case through from where it is now to the end of a trial would have been $4million to $6million,” he said.
Yesterday, court documents published revealed that Prince Andrew regrets his “association” with paedophile Epstein and to show his remorse he plans “on supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims”.
A document submitted to a US court today said: “Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement.
“Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.
“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.
“He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
“The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed).
“Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
