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Topics: no-article-matching, Royal Family, Jeffrey Epstein
Hannah Smith
Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre have reached a 'settlement in principle,' per newly filed court documents.
A letter from Giuffre's lawyer, David Boies, revealed that the royal has agreed to settle the civil sex assault case rather than go to trial after a judge refused to dismiss the lawsuit last month.
Giuffre claims to have been sexually assaulted by the Duke of York on three separate occasions in 2001, when she was 17, after being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, with whom the royal was friends.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations.
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In joint statement issued today, February 15, by lawyers for both parties, Prince Andrew did not apologise or admit guilt, but 'accepts that [Giuffre] has suffered both as an established victim of abuse'.
'Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others,' the statement continues.
The financial details of the settlement have not been disclosed, however Prince Andrew confirmed he would be making a 'substantial donation' to Giuffre's charity in support of abuse victims.
'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 statement concludes.
The out-of-court settlement means Prince Andrew will no longer have to testify under oath about his alleged encounters with Giuffre or his relationship with Epstein.
Giuffre has not publicly commented on the settlement. In a statement issued last month, she had said she was 'pleased' her case was set to go to trial, saying per CBS ' my goal has always been to show that the rich and powerful are not above the law & must be held accountable.'
The news comes less than a month after a US district judge rejected the Duke's attempts to dismiss the lawsuit based on a 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein which Prince Andrew had claimed released him from liability.
A day later it was confirmed that Prince Andrew had been stripped of his military titles and royal patronages by the Queen, his mother, and that he would also be ceasing to use the 'His Royal Highness' royal title.
Confirming the news, a royal spokesperson emphasised that he had been fighting the case 'as a private citizen.'
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 between 12pm–2.30pm and 7pm– 9.30pm every day. Alternatively, you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas