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The out-of-court settlement means Prince Andrew makes no admission of guilt over claims by Giuffre that he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17 years old. These are allegations that the prince has repeatedly denied.
In a letter for the judge, lawyers for Prince Andrew and Giuffre said a “settlement in principle” had been reached. The statement read, “The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement.”
While this sum is yet to be officially disclosed, legal experts told the Guardian that the cost of Prince Andrew was likely to come in at no less than £10 million even before paying his own legal fees. The prince is also set to make a “substantial donation” to Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
Related: What will Prince Andrew do Next?
Ms Giuffre has been represented free-of-charge by US lawyers David Boies and Sigrid McCawley, hailed “the most famed and formidable” by the BBC.
Boies is renowned for his relentless cross-examinations and has been hailed as “the man who ate Microsoft” by Vanity Fair. Meanwhile, McCawley is known for her relentless interrogation skills which helped take down Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking ring.
In a comment, Simkins Partner Gideon Benaim said, “It’s clearly a good thing for all concerned that the matter has now settled, particularly for Prince Andrew. If it had continued it would have inevitably damaged him even further. It’ll be interesting to see whether any of the details of the settlement become known.
Interestingly, we are not yet aware of any requirement for an apology, which would likely have been a stumbling point for the Duke, who maintains his innocence. I expect the Palace will be relieved that this debacle is seemingly over and now they can get on with the Platinum Jubilee without the prospect of a damaging trial looming large.”
