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A tentative settlement has been reached in a lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old.
As part of the settlement, the prince will make a substantial donation to the charity of his accuser. According to a court filing, he says he never intended to malign her character.
Attorney David Boies, who represents Giuffre, said in a filing in Manhattan federal court that lawyers on both sides were informing the judge that a settlement in principle has been reached and they'll request a dismissal of the lawsuit within a month.
Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts, who he denied any memory of meeting. Photo / Supplied, File
Meanwhile, the letter said, the judge should suspend all deadlines and hold the action in abeyance.
Giuffre sued Andrew in August. The American accused the British royal of sexually abusing her when she was 17 while she travelled with financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has strenuously denied Giuffre's allegations and attempted to get the lawsuit dismissed.
Attached to the letter by Boies was a statement that read: "Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement. The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre's receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed).
"Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre outside a Manhattan court following the jailhouse death of Jeffrey Epstein in August 2019. Photo/Bebeto Matthews, AP, File
"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," the statement read.
Giuffre alleged that she was sexually abused or raped by Prince Andrew on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17. She had sued him for unspecified damages.
In a joint court filing, the parties told the New York judge overseeing the case that they anticipated that it would be brought to a close within 30 days and asked that all action be suspended in the meantime.
A lawyer for Andrew did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
The letter signed by Boies said all lawyers were asking the judge to suspend all deadlines and put the case on hold.
The Duke had been due to give a deposition under oath on March 10.
The tentative settlement comes weeks after Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rejected the prince's attempt to win an early dismissal of the lawsuit, meaning depositions and other evidence gathering could commence.
After Kaplan ruled, Andrew — who had already stepped back from royal duties — was stripped of his honorary military titles and roles and leadership of various charities, known as royal patronages. He also can no longer use the title "his royal highness" in official settings. The decision was an effort to insulate the House of Windsor from the fallout from potentially years of sordid headlines if the suit moved forward.
Prince Andrew at the Royal Chapel at Windsor, following the death announcement of his father Prince Philip in 2021. Photo / Steve Parsons, AP, File
"With the Queen's approval and agreement, the Duke of York's military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen," the palace said, using the prince's formal title. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."
More than 150 veterans and serving members of the armed forces asked the Queen to strip her second son of his military titles, saying he had failed to live up to the "very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct" that are expected of British officers.
Giuffre asserted that she met Andrew while she travelled frequently with Epstein between 2000 and 2002, when her lawyers maintain she was "on call for Epstein for sexual purposes" and was "lent out to other powerful men", including Andrew. Her lawsuit said she still suffers significant emotional and psychological distress and harm.
Andrew repeatedly denied Giuffre's allegations and has said he can't recall meeting her.
Andrew served in the Royal Navy for two decades, including as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War. The honourary military roles he lost included several overseas ones, such as his title as colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.
He has spent years combating concerns about his links with Epstein, the US financier who took his life at age 66 in 2019 in a Manhattan federal lockup while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
Epstein's longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of related charges last month.
