Content warning: This article mentions child abuse and sexual assault.
After multiple attempts to dismiss the case, Prince Andrew has announced that he has reached a settlement with the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her.
The royal announced the settlement in a joint letter with Virgina Roberts Guiffre just weeks before he was due to appear in court and face top US lawyers.
Andrew was preparing for a gruelling two-day deposition – where he was expected to be questioned about his personal life by Ms Guiffre’s lawyers at a “neutral” location – according to reports from The Sun.
“Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement,” the document submitted to a New York Court reads.
“The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed).”
Through the joint statement, there are five key details to takeaway from the case.
Regret of smears
The statement said the prince “never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character”, in what seems to be an acknowledgement from the Prince’s legal team that they made a mistake in demanding to see Ms Giuffre’s mental health records.
They claimed she “may suffer from false memories”, prompting accusations from Dr Charlotte Proudman, a barrister and academic specialising in violence against women, that the Prince was “gaslighting”
They also said they wanted to examine any confidential notes taken during her counselling sessions and ask about prescriptions written for her by her doctor.
It comes as a change of tune from last year, when a statement issued by his lawyers in October accused Ms Giuffre of using the lawsuit “to achieve another payday at (Prince Andrew’s) expense and at the expense of those closest to him”.
Acknowledging her as a victim
The statement also acknowledged that Ms Giuffre “suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks”.
Though this is the first time he is believed to have recognised her as a victim of abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein, he has not acknowledged claims he abused her.
Associations with Epstein
Andrew’s lawyers noted his regret in associating with Epstein in the statement, and also comes as a U-turn on his position in November 2019.
In a 2019 interview with Newsnight, he said he didn’t regret his friendship with the convicted paedophile because the connections and opportunities he gained through their friendship “were actually very useful”.
“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years,” the statement continued.
“Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.”
Unknown settlement
Though there are speculations that the final sum will total up to £14 million ($AUD 26.5 or $NZD 28.55 million), the statement says the figure will not be disclosed.
“Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights,” the letter read.
It is unknown whether Mrs Guiffre will personally receive any money from the settlement.
Vows to “demonstrate regret”
The statement claims that the prince “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”.
It is still unknown what actions Andrew intends to take to combat sex trafficking, but it is likely his actions will be performed as a private citizen after he was stripped of his royal titles earlier this year.
Image: Getty Images
This article first appeared on OverSixty.