When Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II's second son, announced on Tuesday that he had settled a lawsuit brought by a woman who accused him of raping her as a teenager, the British royal family will try to put one of the most irritating scandals behind them.
However, given Prince Andrew's well-publicized, if enigmatic, financial ups and downs, doubts remain, not least who will pay the secret compensation.
Prince Andrew Regrets Association With Jeffrey Epstein
The deal avoids the possibility of humiliating facts regarding Prince Andrew's interactions with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, who he met through his buddy, the billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, emerging for the Queen, who celebrated her 70th birthday earlier this month.
In a statement announcing the settlement, Prince Andrew stated he "regrets his involvement with Epstein and commends the fortitude of Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others in speaking up for themselves and others."
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration, which is due in June, would almost definitely have been overshadowed by a trial. The Queen's eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, was found to be reinfected by the coronavirus two days after he had been in touch with his 95-year-old mother, and the anniversary year has already begun on a sour note.
The Queen's official residence, Buckingham Palace, refuses to clarify whether she had contracted COVID-19 or had been tested for it. However, after the palace shared photographs of her having virtual audiences with ambassadors from Spain and Estonia, who were submitting their credentials, anxieties over her health eased a little on Tuesday.
The 73-year-old Prince Charles is said to be suffering from minor symptoms. When the virus first hit Britain in early 2020, he had his final dose of COVID-19. According to their family, his wife, Camilla, 74, tested positive on Monday as well. After missing many events due to illness last autumn, the Queen's current health issues occurred as a result of her illness.
Queen Elizabeth II has recently worked quickly to put her family's affairs in order since the monarchy is transitioning. She released a statement on the anniversary of her ascension, stating she hoped that once Prince Charles came to the throne, Camilla would be known as Queen, ending an issue that had long haunted the marriage.
Even though royal experts commonly regard him as her favorite son, Queen Elizabeth II tried to separate him from the family last month after a federal court in Manhattan refused Prince Andrew's attempt to dismiss Giuffre's sexual abuse case. He was deprived of his honorary military credentials and told not to use the term "His Royal Highness," and that he would defend himself "as a private person," according to the palace, New York Times reported.
Queen Elizabeth Refuses to Comment About Prince Andrew's Sexual Abuse Case
The Child Victims Act, a New York state law, adopted in 2019 that temporarily extended the statute of limitations in child sex abuse prosecutions, was the basis for Giuffre's lawsuit. A move to dismiss the case was dismissed by Judge Kaplan last month. On March 10, Prince Andrew was supposed to make an oath-taking statement.
The long-running claims against him have already harmed Prince Andrew's public image, and he resigned from the throne in late 2019. The Duke of York was deprived of his military titles and charities as a result of the judge's judgment last month, according to Buckingham Palace.
According to a representative for the palace, the palace will not comment on the settlement. The Duke and his legal staff are in charge of this. On Tuesday, one of Giuffre's lawyers said she was "extremely delighted" with the settlement of the lawsuit, as per CNN.
As the Duke of York remains deprived of his royal titles, the Queen has declined to comment on her son Prince Andrew's out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre. In January, the Queen revoked her second son of his prized honorary military titles and royal patronages, as well as his HRH style, thus casting him out of the institution.
The Palace's announcement confirming the modifications on January 13 is still believed to be valid, with the Duke continuing to abstain from all public obligations. Today, the Royal Palace refuses to comment on the situation. According to a royal expert, the Duke of York's civil sex assault suit will "forever be soiled," according to Mirror.
Related Article : Prince Andrew Reportedly Toured Ghislaine Maxwell, Bill Clinton in Buckingham Palace; Jeffrey Epstein's Madam Introduced as Duke's Ex-Girlfriend
