Wednesday 16 February 2022

Litigation between Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew - settlement in principle


The amounts of money involved continue to be unknown. Also, it is not known exactly HOW the Prince will find the necessary funds.

Original post:

A document filed with the United States District Court in New York states that a settlement in principle has been reached in the civil litigation brought in New York by Virginia Giuffre against Prince Andrew. 

Prince Andrew settles Virginia Giuffre sexual assault case in US | Prince Andrew | The Guardian

The document states that - "The parties

will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed).”  There are no admissions of liability on the part of Prince Andrew.

It is added that Prince Andrew "intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victim's rights."

The document is brief and it will be interesting to see whether there is more when the stipulated dismissal is actually filed. There is likely to be a much more detailed settlement agreement perhaps containing confidentiality clauses.

The fact that there is to be a settlement comes as no surprise to those with any knowledge of civil litigation (whether in the UK or the USA). There are many reasons why the vast majority of civil claims are settled. Those include the fact that a public trial is avoided with all the inevitable publicity about every detail.

In the USA, the trial would eventually have been with a jury. Juries are very rare in civil cases in the UK. Publicity in the case would have been massive and worldwide and would have been a cloud over the entire Platinum Jubilee year.

Is there a "winner"? In law the answer is NO. There has not been a trial. Nonetheless, individuals will hold their own opinions. See Who won? - by Joshua Rozenberg - A Lawyer Writes (substack.com)

Inevitably, there is speculation about the sums of money to be paid and HOW (including by whom) they might be paid. No details have been revealed about any of this though there can be little doubt that large sums will be involved.

There is also speculation about whether the settlement will enable Prince Andrew to be eventually rehabilitated into public life.  At the very least that must be doubtful given that the document filed with the court plainly acknowledges Andrew's association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.  

Epstein was a convicted sex offender and Andrew now states that he regrets his association with Epstein.

The various links below may be of interest ...

16 February 2022

Update 9 March 2022

Prince Andrew - Virginia Giuffre settlement paid- | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

Links:

Prince Andrew Settles Sexual Abuse Lawsuit With Virginia Giuffre - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Queen to help pay for £12m Prince Andrew settlement (msn.com)

Is there any way back for Prince Andrew? - BBC News

Why Andrew had to settle with Virginia Giuffre: lawyers say he had little choice | Prince Andrew | The Guardian

Prince Andrew’s settlement with Virginia Giuffre: what just happened? | Prince Andrew | The Guardian

Prince Andrew settles Virginia Giuffre sexual assault case in US | Prince Andrew | The Guardian

Prince Andrew faces fresh calls to lose dukedom after settling Virginia Giuffre sex abuse claim | ITV News

Prince Andrew must relinquish Duke of York title after reported £12m settlement, city MP demands | Yorkshire Post

Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein FULL INTERVIEW - BBC Newsnight - YouTube

On the subject of Royal Finances generally -

Royal Finances | The Royal Family - where it is stated that the Royal Household is committed to ensuring that public money is spent as wisely and efficiently as possible, and to making Royal finances as transparent and comprehensible as possible.

Financial reports 2020-21 | The Royal Family

Finances of the Monarchy - House of Commons Library (parliament.uk)

Sovereign Grant Act 2011: guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Sovereign Grant Act 2011 (legislation.gov.uk)

Keeper of the Privy Purse - Wikipedia 

Michael Stevens (accountant) - Wikipedia

How will Prince Andrew pay the settlement? Where funds for the agreement with Virginia Giuffre may come from (inews.co.uk)

Questions persist over how Prince Andrew funded luxury lifestyle | Prince Andrew | The Guardian

*** Ghislaine Maxwell ***

Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking crimes | US news | The Guardian

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