Giuffre v. Prince Andrew: Settlement Notice

Overview of the Case

On August 9, 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 the age of 18, and that this abuse occurred at the direction or facilitation of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

On February 15, 2022, the parties filed a stipulation of dismissal indicating that the case had been settled. The settlement, reached outside of court, included no admission of liability by Prince Andrew. The resolution of this high-profile case drew worldwide attention and raised significant questions about accountability, royal privilege, and the intersection of civil litigation with criminal justice proceedings.

The Allegations

Virginia Giuffre's complaint contained detailed allegations about three instances of sexual abuse:

London, approximately 2001. Giuffre alleged that she was brought to London by Epstein and Maxwell, where she was introduced to Prince Andrew. She described being taken to the Tramp nightclub in Mayfair, where Prince Andrew allegedly danced with her and purchased her drinks. She alleged that she was subsequently taken to Maxwell's London townhouse, where Prince Andrew sexually abused her. Giuffre was 17 years old at the time.

New York. Giuffre alleged a second incident of abuse at Epstein's Manhattan mansion on East 71st Street. She described being directed by Epstein and Maxwell to provide sexual services to Prince Andrew.

U.S. Virgin Islands. Giuffre alleged a third incident on Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Little St. James, where she described being subjected to sexual abuse by Prince Andrew during a visit arranged by Epstein.

These allegations had been made publicly by Giuffre in various forms since at least 2011, when she first filed a declaration in the Crime Victims' Rights Act litigation in Florida. Prince Andrew consistently denied all of the allegations.

Prince Andrew's Defense Strategy

Prince Andrew's legal team, led by attorney Andrew Brettler, mounted several defense arguments:

The 2009 Settlement Agreement

The most significant legal argument involved a 2009 settlement agreement between Virginia Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein in a separate civil case. Epstein had paid Giuffre $500,000 to settle her claims, and the agreement contained a release clause that Epstein's team had drafted broadly. Prince Andrew's lawyers argued that this release extended to "other potential defendants," which they claimed included Prince Andrew.

In January 2022, Judge Lewis Kaplan unsealed the 2009 settlement agreement and allowed briefing on its applicability. However, before the court could rule definitively on whether the release covered Prince Andrew, the parties reached their own settlement.

Jurisdictional Challenges

Prince Andrew's team also argued that the court lacked personal jurisdiction over him, as he was a British citizen residing in the United Kingdom. This argument was weakened by evidence that Prince Andrew had significant contacts with the United States, including visits to Epstein's properties in New York, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Factual Denials

Prince Andrew publicly denied the allegations in a widely discussed BBC Newsnight interview in November 2019 with journalist Emily Maitlis. During the interview, Prince Andrew stated that he had "no recollection" of meeting Giuffre and suggested that a photograph showing him with his arm around Giuffre's waist (taken in Maxwell's London home) may have been fabricated. He also claimed he could not have been at Tramp nightclub on the evening in question because he had taken his daughter to a Pizza Express restaurant in Woking, Surrey.

The interview was widely criticized and is generally regarded as having significantly damaged Prince Andrew's public standing. Several of his assertions were challenged by evidence and witness testimony.

The Settlement

The joint stipulation of dismissal filed on February 15, 2022, was brief and provided limited details about the settlement terms. Key points that were made public:

No admission of liability. Prince Andrew made no admission of guilt or wrongdoing. The settlement was structured to resolve the civil dispute without any finding of fact or liability.

Charitable donation. As part of the settlement, Prince Andrew agreed to make a "substantial donation" to Giuffre's charity, which supports victims' rights advocacy. The exact amount was not publicly disclosed, though media reports estimated it at approximately £12 million (roughly $14.7 million at the time).

Joint statement. The settlement included a statement in which Prince Andrew acknowledged that Giuffre had been "an established victim of abuse" and commended her bravery. He pledged to support the fight against "evil" of sex trafficking and its associated activities.

Epstein regret. Prince Andrew stated that he "regrets his association with Epstein" and pledged to demonstrate his regret for that association through support for victims' organizations.

Legal Proceedings Leading to Settlement

Several key legal developments preceded the settlement:

Service of process. An initial dispute arose over whether Giuffre had properly served Prince Andrew with the complaint. After some procedural wrangling — including attempts to serve Andrew at his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor — the court found that service had been properly effectuated.

Motion to dismiss. In October 2021, Prince Andrew filed a motion to dismiss the case on multiple grounds, including the 2009 settlement agreement defense and jurisdictional arguments. Judge Kaplan denied the motion in January 2022, allowing the case to proceed to discovery.

Discovery pressure. Following the denial of the motion to dismiss, the case was set to enter the discovery phase, which would have required Prince Andrew to sit for a deposition under oath. Legal analysts widely speculated that the prospect of a deposition — during which Andrew would have been forced to answer detailed questions about his relationship with Epstein, his visits to Epstein's properties, and the specific allegations — was a significant factor motivating the settlement.

The Photograph

A central piece of evidence in the public discourse surrounding the case was a photograph showing Prince Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre's bare waist. Ghislaine Maxwell can be seen in the background. The photograph was reportedly taken at Maxwell's London townhouse in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old.

Prince Andrew suggested during his BBC interview that the photograph might have been doctored, though he acknowledged that he appeared to be in the image. No evidence has been produced to support the claim that the photograph was fabricated, and it has been widely treated as authentic by courts, media outlets, and investigators.

Impact on the Royal Family

The case had profound consequences for Prince Andrew and the British Royal Family:

Stripped of titles and patronages. In January 2022, days after Judge Kaplan denied Prince Andrew's motion to dismiss, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Andrew had returned his military affiliations and royal patronages to Queen Elizabeth II. He was also stripped of the right to use the style "His Royal Highness" in any official capacity.

Public standing. Prince Andrew's public standing was severely damaged by the case and the preceding BBC interview. Public polling consistently showed that a majority of the British public believed the allegations were credible and that Andrew should face the legal process.

Royal Family distancing. The Royal Family progressively distanced itself from Prince Andrew's legal troubles, with official statements indicating that the matter was a personal one for the Duke of York to resolve.

Significance of the Settlement

The Giuffre v. Prince Andrew settlement is significant for several reasons:

Accountability for associates. The case demonstrated that individuals associated with Epstein could face legal consequences — at least in civil court — regardless of their status or position. The involvement of a member of the British Royal Family underscored the breadth of Epstein's social network and the scope of the alleged abuse.

The limits of civil justice. The settlement also illustrated the limitations of civil litigation as a mechanism for accountability. Without an admission of liability, trial, or finding of fact, the case ended without a definitive legal determination of whether the alleged abuse occurred.

Victim empowerment. Giuffre's willingness to pursue the case against one of the most prominent individuals in the world was widely viewed as an act of courage that empowered other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward.

Unresolved questions. The settlement left many questions unanswered, including the full extent of Prince Andrew's interactions with Epstein, the circumstances surrounding his visits to Epstein's properties, and whether additional evidence would have emerged during discovery.

Sources and Further Reading

• Case Docket: Giuffre v. Prince Andrew, 21-cv-6702 (S.D.N.Y.)
• BBC Newsnight Interview with Prince Andrew (November 16, 2019)
• Statement from Buckingham Palace (January 13, 2022)
• Joint Stipulation of Dismissal (February 15, 2022)