Prince Andrew's Settlement with Virginia Giuffre: What We Know

The Lawsuit

In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew, Duke of York, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 21-cv-6702).

The complaint alleged that Prince Andrew had sexually abused Giuffre on multiple occasions when she was under 18, in London, New York, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations. He was not criminally charged in connection with the Epstein case.

Legal Proceedings

Prince Andrew's legal team initially challenged the lawsuit on multiple grounds, including:

• Questions about the jurisdiction of U.S. courts
• A prior settlement agreement between Giuffre and Epstein that his team argued protected third parties

In January 2022, a federal judge rejected Prince Andrew's motion to dismiss the case, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.

The Settlement

In February 2022, it was announced that the case had been settled out of court. Key terms that were made public:

• Prince Andrew made no admission of guilt or liability
• He agreed to make a "substantial donation" to Giuffre's charity supporting victims' rights
• The settlement reportedly involved a payment of approximately $12 million, though the precise figure was not officially confirmed
• Prince Andrew expressed "regret for his association with Epstein"

Aftermath

The case and broader Epstein connection had significant consequences for Prince Andrew:

• He stepped back from public royal duties in November 2019
• In January 2022, he was stripped of honorary military titles and royal patronages
• He no longer uses the style "His Royal Highness" in an official capacity

Important Context

A civil settlement with no admission of liability is not a determination of guilt. The settlement resolved the civil claims without a trial, and Prince Andrew continues to deny the allegations made against him.

For the full topic overview, see Prince Andrew and the Epstein Case.