Prince Andrew reaches a settlement with Virginia Giuffre in sexual abuse lawsuit

Updated February 15, 2022 at 12:14 PM ET

Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have agreed to a settlement that will end Giuffre's lawsuit, which had accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a minor. The two sides of the legal dispute jointly informed a federal court about the development on Tuesday.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. It includes a stipulation that the Duke of York will "make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights," according to a document filed by David Boies, an attorney for Giuffre.

The parties expect to file to dismiss the case within the next 30 days, when Giuffre confirms receipt of the settlement, Boies said.

News of the deal comes one month after a federal judge denied Andrew's request to dismiss Giuffre's case. Andrew's lawyers had argued that Giuffre was precluded from suing him because of an earlier settlement she had reached with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — whom Giuffre says arranged for Andrew to sexually abuse her when she was a minor.

Andrew has strongly denied the allegations against him, stating that he did not participate in the sexual exploitation of minors or witness such behavior. Tuesday's court filing touches on his very public denials of Giuffre's accusations.

"Prince Andrew has never intended to malign 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," the document states.

Giuffre has said Andrew sexually abused her in London, New York, and Little St. James, Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her lawsuit includes the now-famous photo of Andrew with his arm around Giuffre's waist — an image she says was taken shortly before he abused her.

Tuesday's court filing concludes by acknowledging the ordeals suffered by Giuffre and other women, as well as Andrew's friendly relationship with Epstein:

"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."

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