Britain’s Prince Andrew has settled the lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, it was revealed in court documents obtained by TheWrap and other outlets including The New York Times.
A letter to the judge from Giuffre’s lawyer, Lewis Kaplan, per CNBC read : “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 as a result of unfair public attacks.”
The letter continued: “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.”
Settlement details were not disclosed, however it was noted he would make “a substantial donation” to an organization “in support of victims’ rights,” per the lawyer’s statement.
Giuffre filed a lawsuit last fall alleging the royal raped and sexually abused her when she was 17, per The New York Times. She has said in court documents that she was offered to the prince by Epstein.
Prince Andrew was due to begin answering deposition questions soon, something he sought to avoid. The settlement means he won’t have to.
Just last month, Andrew was stripped of military titles by his mother, the Queen.
“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement in January. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
Prince Andrew has denied Giuffre’s allegations.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.