The case of Prince Andrew’s sexual abuse and harassment showed that the Queen’s silence over Prince Andrew’s evils destroyed those who spoke out against its flawed practices. There has been considerable public distrust of the royal family, and we do not think they will correct their behaviour.
The sexual harassment case and Prince Andrew’s relationship with (Jeffrey Epstein) and (Maxwell) showed the world that Queen’s silence over Prince Andrew’s evils to protect the criminals inside its inner circle. It is very disappointing that Prince Andrew is still in the line of succession to the throne, which shows that the royal family has preferred tradition and silence to decency.
How did the Queen support Prince Andrew?
News of the Duke of York’s settlement was met with silence by Buckingham Palace. There was Queen’s silence over Prince Andrew’s evils, who just last month sought to distance the monarchy as an institution from the fallout over her second son’s legal woes. But it is understood that the very decisive action taken by the Queen, when she stripped Prince Andrew of his royal patronages, honorary military titles and any official use of his HRH title, still stands firm. Indeed, it would be hard to imagine a return to royal duties and public engagements, given that the out-of-court settlement announced raises many questions but answers none. Andrew does not, in the statement, dispute the grave allegation of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre in her civil case. Nor does he admit it. His lawyer had previously in court dismissed the case as “baseless” and accused Giuffre, who settled her claim against Jeffrey Epstein for $500,000 in 2009, of seeking another “payday”.
The settlement announcement is unlikely to exonerate Andrew in the court of public opinion. So, his patronages are unlikely to be returned to him – indeed, they are already being shared among other members of the royal family. He will remain sidelined in any official royal capacity. Yet he is the Queen’s son. In the three years since Giuffre dropped her legal bombshell, the Queen has made clear her support through her actions. Andrew has been invited to Balmoral. The Queen allowed him to play a prominent part in the public tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh after his death last April. She and Andrew have been riding together. It is unknown if the Queen, who supported Andrew’s royal work from the personal income she received from the Duchy of Lancaster estate, will contribute to his costs and settlement. Andrew recently sold a Swiss ski chalet that he bought in 2014 with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for a reported £18m.
The shocking settlement between Prince Andrew & Virginia Giuffre
On Tuesday (15 Feb 2022), Prince Andrew formally requested a dismissal of Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was underage, as Britain’s finance ministry confirmed that no public funds were used in their settlement. Andrew and Giuffre filed a joint stipulation of dismissal in Manhattan federal court, where it is expected to win approval from U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. The 15 Feb settlement included an undisclosed payment, with Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth, making a “substantial donation” to Giuffre’s charity to support victims’ rights. Andrew, the Duke of York, did not admit wrongdoing in settling the civil lawsuit. He has not been accused of criminal misconduct. The finance ministry issued its comment after The Sun, a British tabloid, said Andrew’s older brother Prince Charles was bankrolling most of the settlement, with the Queen chipping in. Giuffre’s case had focused on Andrew’s friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and sex offender whom the 38-year-old Giuffre said also sexually abused her.
Andrew, 62, denied Giuffre’s accusations that he forced her to have sex when she was 17 at the London home of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, and Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The allegations and Andrew’s relationship with Epstein severely damaged the prince’s reputation, forcing Queen Elizabeth’s second son to give up his royal patronages and no longer be known as “His Royal Highness.” Epstein killed himself at age 66 in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell is seeking a new problem after being convicted of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein to abuse.
The settlement was full of drama
This settlement may seem like it has come from nowhere, but it’s been hard to find a lawyer who thought Prince Andrew would fight this case to a jury trial. What is remarkable, however, is the wording. A settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing, but the prince does not repeat his oft-repeated insistence that he did nothing wrong. Earlier in the case, he had allowed his lawyers to accuse Ms Giuffre of initiating a “baseless lawsuit to achieve another payday at his expense”. She was charged with making so much money from her Epstein allegations that she had a “compelling motive” to launch a “frivolous” lawsuit against the prince. All that is gone, never to be repeated: swept away in a 32-word sentence that accepts Virginia Giuffre has been a victim of abuse, and her character cannot be questioned. The courtroom drama is over before it begins. The court of public opinion will decide what the prince’s words mean.
Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement. 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 substantially donate to Ms Giuffre’s charity to support victims’ rights. 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 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.
Conclusion
Giuffre’s case had focused on Andrew’s friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and sex offender whom the 38-year-old Giuffre said also sexually abused her. Andrew denied Giuffre’s accusations that he forced her to have sex when she was 17 at the London home of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, and Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The allegations and Andrew’s relationship with Epstein severely damaged the prince’s reputation, forcing Queen Elizabeth’s second son to give up his royal patronages and no longer be known as “His Royal Highness.” Epstein killed himself at age 66 in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell is seeking a new problem after being convicted of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein to abuse.
