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A year has passed since Britain’s Prince Andrew “payed off” American Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually engaging with her several times when she was 17 years old against her will. It cost him more than £10 million, according to local tabloids. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, helped raise this amount. II and older brother — then Prince Charles. In the weekly column HELLO! we tell how the disgraced Duke of York lives now, and how he plans to strike back.
After a court in New York refused to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed against the British prince, it became clear that not only his name was at stake, but also the reputation of the royal family. And although the queen’s son denied all the accusations and was ready to meet with Virginia in court, the august relatives did not allow him to do this. His mother resorted to the last resort: as she wrote The Daily Mail citing sources close to the prince, “The Duke of York has been stripped of all his military ranks and functions as patron of the royal family, he will no longer officially use the title of His Royal Highness, and a sexual assault lawsuit against him will be filed as against” ordinary citizen.”
Even before this — in November 2019 — the prince was forced to resign from his duties as a member of the royal family. But then he still had hope that the lawsuit could be avoided, because in 2009 Virginia entered into a settlement agreement with the man who introduced her to Prince Andrew. — Jeffrey Epstein.
The prince’s acquaintance with investment banker and financier Epstein — a person with a very dubious reputation — happened in the late 90s. According to The Guardian, in 1999, they were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Gislen Maxwell, daughter of the late media mogul Robert Maxwell. At least in the court case of Gislen, accused of sex trafficking, there was a photograph in which she and Epstein are depicted in the residence of the British Queen Balmoral in 1999.
In 2001, in the London house of Gislen and in the Epstein house in New York, as Virginia later claimed, her sexual contacts with the Duke of York took place. According to her, she was one of the girls whom Epstein forcibly kept in his house, forcing him to meet with his influential friends for money.
Prince Andrew had many dubious acquaintances, which is worth only the son of the Libyan dictator Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, but Buckingham Palace has always managed to negotiate with the press so as not to lead to a scandal. However, in 2008, Epstein was found guilty of seducing an underage girl, and the prince, nevertheless, did not stop communicating with him. After the release of the financier from prison, they were photographed together several times during walks, which caused outrage among British citizens. In July 2019, Epstein was arrested again, this time on charges of sexual assault and the involvement of minors in prostitution. He committed suicide in a prison cell. And Maxwell was found guilty of sexual exploitation of minors at the end of the year before last and faces life imprisonment.
However, the prince hoped that the settlement agreement, under which Virginia received compensation in the amount of 500 thousand dollars in exchange for the termination of her particular case, applies to him. Lawyers for the Duke of York referred to one of the clauses of the agreement, in which she also agreed not to sue “any other person or entity that could be brought in as a potential defendant.” But lawyers representing Giuffre’s interests claim that the document only applied to the signatories, that is, Virginia and Epstein, as well as their partners.
As for the Duke of York, he was a “third party”. The court agreed with this, which means — for the first time in history — the British royal was to appear before an American court. The settlement agreement that the royal family forced him to sign deprived the prince of the opportunity to defend himself in court and prove his innocence. So the brilliant officer, veteran of the Falklands War and favorite of the nation fell to last place in the popularity ratings of members of the royal family.
Of course, this situation does not suit the duke, who is used to being the center of attention. At his funeral — graduate of the Royal Naval College Dartsmouth, combat veteran — It was forbidden to wear a military uniform, with an exception only for the “Princes’ Vigil” ceremony. They say that when the duke found out about this, he burst into tears. Moreover, judging by the latest media reports, King Charles III and William, Prince of Wales, firmly decided that the Duke of York would never return to active work in the royal family. Therefore, Andrew is looking for other ways to return to his former life and the title of “His Royal Highness”.
He tried to seriously engage in charity and, they say, Queen Elizabeth II supported this initiative, believing that it — the only way to regain your good name. But King Charles III turned out to be more severe. One of his friends told The Daily Beast:
Carl made it clear that the way back — to public life — Andrew doesn’t. If he wants to do charity work, that’s his own business.
And recently it became known that the prince intends to try to cancel the agreement that he concluded with Virginia Giuffre. The Mail on Sunday reported, citing its sources, that the Duke of York consulted with lawyers about whether Virginia could be forced to drop her accusations and apologize to him. He was prompted to such thoughts by the information that Jufre dropped the lawsuit against another man. — American lawyer Alan Dershowitz, whom she had previously accused of sexual assault. She admitted that she “might have made a mistake” in identifying him. And the Duke of York is counting on the fact that in his case, Giuffre will change his mind. Moreover, he is not interested in the money given to her. It is important for a prince to improve his reputation. In any case, according to his friends, it is better for him to direct his energy to some activity, because, according to The Daily MailRecently, relatives fear for his mental health.
Source: Hellomagazine
Ashley Fitzgerald is a journalist and author at Gossipify, known for her coverage of famous people and their lives. She writes about a wide range of topics, including celebrities, influencers, social media stars, and public figures. Her articles are known for their in-depth analysis and unique perspective. She is respected for her ability to keep readers up to date with the latest news and trends of the famous people.
