'Underage Sexual Assault' British Prince Andrew Reaches Settlement with Victim

Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who was facing a civil trial on charges of sexually assaulting a minor, has reached a settlement with the victim Virginia Giuffre.

The New York Times (NYT) reported this on the 15th (local time), citing documents from the U.S. Federal District Court in Manhattan, New York.

In a joint statement released after the settlement, both parties said, "The amount of the settlement will not be disclosed." Prince Andrew also announced that he would make a substantial donation to charities supporting victims of sexual assault separately.

Prince Andrew is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre, an American woman who was a minor aged 17 at the time, in New York and London in 2001, together with U.S. billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

In the civil lawsuit filed with the New York Federal Court, Giuffre claimed that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her without consent, knowing that she was a minor and a victim of Epstein's sexual trafficking.

Prince Andrew did not comment on whether he admits to these allegations in his statement. However, he expressed regret for his association with Epstein, who trafficked numerous girls, and praised the courage of Giuffre and other victims.

Prince Andrew calling Giuffre a "brave person" contrasts with his legal team's statement last October that "Giuffre filed a baseless lawsuit to make money." He said, "There was no intention to publicly defame Giuffre," and acknowledged that she suffered as a victim of abuse and public attacks.

This settlement was reached weeks before Prince Andrew was to testify in the New York court. The NYT said, "The settlement was reached relatively quickly," and "It has been six months since Giuffre filed the lawsuit."

Meanwhile, Prince Andrew has denied the allegations while suspending all official duties as a member of the royal family since the scandal fully erupted in 2019. In January, he was stripped of his military titles and no longer performs public duties or uses the title "His Royal Highness" at official events.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.