Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew’s sex abuse accuser, could return to public life next month as her stranglehold clause is lifted.
Ms Giuffre, who now lives in Australia, had claimed she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times when she was 17, on orders from the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
She initiated her lawsuit against Andrew in August 2021, seeking unspecified damages for battery, including rape, and the infliction of emotional distress.
It was settled out of court on February 15, 2022 for $12 million, with $2 million believed to be donated to her sex trafficking charity. The Duke admitted no wrongdoing and has consistently and vehemently denied the claims.
Last year, the Duke of York and Ms Giuffre signed a one-year agreement that meant neither party could discuss the case or the financial settlement
Ms Giuffre, who now lives in Australia, could return to the public eye next month as her stranglehold clause is lifted
Full statement by both parties in Andrew’s case
Here is the full text of the statement regarding the out-of-court settlement between the Duke of York and Virginia Giuffre. The statement was contained in a letter presented to US Judge Lewis A. Kaplan:
“Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement. The parties will file a conditional termination upon receipt of the settlement (the amount of which will not be disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a sizeable donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
“Prince Andrew never intended to slander Ms Giuffre’s character and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. Jeffrey Epstein is known to have trafficked countless young girls over many years.
“Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein and commends the courage of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors to stand up for themselves and others. He pledges to show his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the ills of the sex trade and supporting its victims.
As part of the settlement, the Duke of York and Ms Giuffre signed a one-year agreement last year, which meant neither party could discuss the case or the financial settlement, The Telegraph reported.
With that clause lifted within weeks, Ms Giuffre, who is married with children, will likely be able to speak freely about abusing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This could be writing a book, or conducting print or televised interviews with the media, or writing a book.
The Duke settled the case with Ms Giuffre ahead of the Queen’s platinum jubilee last year, after he was stripped of all military titles and patronage and Buckingham Palace was ordered not to use his HRH title in January. The palace also ruled out a return to public service.
The late Queen contributed to the reported $12 million settlement, with the toggle clause in the agreement seen as critical.
At the time, some palace aides criticized the agreed length of silence, and a friend of the Duke said: “If you want a legal solution at such prices, you want silence – but what we have is silence for the platinum jubilee,” reported The Telegraph.
The specific terms of the toggle clause have not been made public. It will be lifted later next month.
Ms Giuffre is believed to be free to publicly address how she was trafficked into sex by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
She could have agreed not to repeat her claims about Prince Andrew or discuss him in relation to the crime couple.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on lifting the clause anytime soon.
It comes as King Charles threw Andrew out of the royal herd and told him he was “on his own” following the scandal surrounding his links with late pedophile financier Jeffery Epstein, a source claimed.
According to a report in The Sun, the Duke of York has been told to stop using Buckingham Palace as his office space, effectively severing his last tie to his old life as a working royal.
“Any presence at the palace has officially ended,” a source was quoted as saying. “The king made it clear. He’s not a working king. He’s on his own.’
As part of the King’s decision, Andrew will not be able to use the address for future correspondence. The emergency worker, who had been retained since retiring from public service three years ago, is now reportedly at risk of being fired.
Ms Giuffre is believed to be free to address publicly how she was tricked into sex trafficking by Epstein (pictured) and Ghislaine Maxwell
By this year he had retained 10 military affiliations, including Colonel in the Grenadier Guards, while working to clear his name amid the scandal surrounding his association with US pedophile Jeffery Epstein
As part of the King’s decision, Andrew, 62, will not be able to use the address for future correspondence
The report came after Queen Consort Camilla was announced to succeed the disgraced Duke as Colonel in the Grenadier Guards in a reshuffle of senior royal military positions.
Andrew inherited the position of Colonel in the Grenadier Guards from his late father, the Duke of Edinburgh when he retired from public life in 2017.
He was forced by the Queen to step down from official royal duties after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in 2019.
By this year he had retained 10 military affiliations, including Colonel in the Grenadier Guards, while working to clear his name amid the scandal surrounding his association with US pedophile Jeffery Epstein.
He was finally stripped of his ceremonial title earlier this year after deciding to settle a civil lawsuit involving one of Epstein’s victims, Ms Giuffre, who had also accused him of the assault. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
King Charles has kicked Prince Andrew out of the royal flock and told him he was “on his own,” sources claim
Prince Andrew, Duke of York and King Charles III. walk after attending the vigil in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on September 12, 2022
Earlier this year, the Duke of York was “deprived” and “tearful” when Charles told him in no uncertain terms that his days as working king were over.
At the time, a source told the Mail on Sunday “Andrew was completely blind” and “completely bereft”. He always believed there was a way back.
Andrew has denied being close to Epstein, who killed himself in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial on child trafficking charges.
Epstein’s former girlfriend Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in a Florida prison after being found guilty of child trafficking and other charges last December.
His mother, the late Queen, allegedly didn’t specifically tell him there was no way back into public life.
The report comes after Queen Consort Camilla was announced to replace the disgraced Duke as Colonel in the Grenadier Guards in a reshuffle of senior royal military positions
As a result, he was slow to realize what the rest of his family — and the public — had been realizing for months.
“Up until meeting his brother in person, Andrew believed there was a way back — that he could be redeemed somehow and have a role in The Firm in the future,” the source said. “He came out of the meeting shaken. He’s still in shock. He’s completely lost and very depressed.’
At the meeting, Charles – who was not yet king – said: “Go away and have a good life, a beautiful life, but public life as royal is over… You have to accept that. ‘
As a working king, Andrew was entitled to a taxpayer-funded security detail consisting of armed police officers who accompanied him on all visits outside of Windsor, Berkshire.
Now that there’s no going back, the Home Office has stripped Andrew of taxpayer-funded security personnel, meaning any armed riot police will be replaced by private companies, only allowed to carry tasers.
Former Home Secretary Norman Baker said last week: “Armed protection has always been a status symbol for the likes of Prince Andrew.
“Of course he should pay it himself and not burden the taxpayer because he is a private individual and does not perform any public duties.”