Prince Andrew faces a lot of pressure as the Royal family might ban him over his sexual abuse settlement with the accuser Virginia Giuffre.
The FBI will never question Prince Andrew about his associations with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Duke of York had been under immense pressure to talk with investigators about the friendships before settling rape charges against him with an estimated $16 million payment to complainant Virginia Giuffre.
Prince Andrew Settles Lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre
Despite accusing him of "zero cooperation," investigators dropped the case, and the file is said to be "gathering dust." While his civil case may have shed new light on his friendships with the two, the Duke is now believed to be convinced that his settlement will have no bearing on the stalled FBI investigation.
The financial details of the settlement would never be divulged, according to royal advisers, and Prince Andrew would retain his titles of Duke of York, Queen's Counselor or State, and Vice-Admiral.
However, there are rising calls for the disgraced Duke's final remaining functions to be removed from him, as well as the pomp and perks that continue to surround him, as per The Sun. There are also calls for the settlement's finances to be made public, with major doubts being raised about whether taxpayer money was used directly or indirectly to have the rape accusations withdrawn.
Virginia Giuffre may be forced to reveal details of her settlement with Prince Andrew after a lawyer who is suing her requested that she hand over documents to a court.
Alan Dershowitz, who worked for Jeffrey Epstein as an attorney, has been accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and the two are currently involved in a defamation dispute.
Dershowitz, 83, who has also represented Harvey Weinstein and former President Donald Trump, claims that Giuffre defamed him with sexual assault charges that were rejected last year by a New York judge.
Giuffre, who was 17 at the time of the allegations, was not a victim of Epstein's, but rather a recruiter of young women for the financier to exploit, he claims. The news of Prince Andrew's settlement had been made public the day before. The total sum is $16 million, with $13.9 million going to Giuffre, 38, and $2.72 million going to her sex abuse charity, according to the Telegraph.
Prince Andrew Will Disappear From Public Life
Dershowitz may be calculating the amount of compensation he should seek if he wins his own lawsuit, which is due to be tried in the Eastern District of New York next year, according to legal experts.
The Duke of York and Giuffre are thought to have signed a non-disclosure agreement, which means neither party may speak publicly about the lawsuit or the claims.
However, it is uncertain if they would be disclosed following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, as has been reported. Giuffre's attorneys stated yesterday that there is nothing in the settlement that prevents her from addressing the claims against Prince Andrew as evidence in Dershowitz's case.
Despite being compelled to stand away from royal duties, Prince Andrew believes he still has a lot to give the public, according to an expert. Following a humiliating appearance on BBC Newsnight in which he discussed his relationship with sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, the Duke of York withdrew from public life in 2019. Prince Andrew expressed his regrets for his involvement with Epstein in a statement filed in court records, and committed to help sex trafficking victims.
Russell Myers, royal editor of the Daily Mirror, claimed this might have been Andrew's method of preparing himself for a return to public life. However, Russell stated it was "impossible" for him to play a public role in the future. It comes as York council members consider revoking Prince Andrew's honorary freedom of the city.
