Prince Andrew Could Face US Trial in 2022 over Alleged Sexual Abuse, Judge Says

THE GUARDIAN: Development comes after Andrew’s lawyers attacked Virginia Giuffre, accusing her of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense

Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 years old. Photograph: Steve Parsons/AFP/Getty Images
Prince Andrew could face civil trial in the US over alleged sexual abuse at the end of 2022, a judge said on Wednesday.

Speaking [at] during a phone conference with lawyers in New York, US district judge Lewis Kaplan said he anticipates a trial date of “somewhere in the September to December period of next year”.

The development came after Andrew’s lawyers attacked his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, in legal filings over the weekend, accusing her of seeking a “payday” at Andrew’s expense and referring to accusations that Guiffre was a “sex kitten”. » | Adam Gabbatt and agency | Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Prince Andrew’s Criticisms of Virginia Giuffre May Backfire, Lawyers Say

THE GUARDIAN: UK experts say accusing Giuffre of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense is risky

Prince Andrew has applied to have Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against him in the US dismissed. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images
THE GUARDIAN: UK experts say accusing Giuffre of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense is risky

Prince Andrew’s attacks on Virginia Giuffre’s character in an attempt to get her sexual assault lawsuit against him thrown out may fail and risk doing further damage to his reputation, British lawyers have said.

Having initially attempted to prevent service of the suit, which alleges that he sexually abused Giuffre when she was 17, the prince’s lawyers went on the offensive over the weekend in an attempt to get her “baseless” claim dismissed.

Their filings accuse Giuffre of seeking a “payday” at Andrew’s expense and contain references from friends and in newspaper articles to her being a “money hungry sex kitten” and recruiting girls for the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in custody in 2019, awaiting trial.

At the same time they argue that a 2009 settlement agreement between Giuffre and Epstein, formerly a friend of Andrew, absolves the prince from responsibility, a notion rejected by Giuffre’s lawyer. » | Haroon Siddique, Legal affairs correspondent | Monday, November 1, 2021

Prince Andrew Asks US Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Abuse

THE GUARDIAN: Duke of York says Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was 17, failed to state claim warranting relief

Prince Andrew in 2013. He said if a dismissal were not granted, Virginia Giuffre should provide a ‘more definitive statement’ of her allegations. Photograph: Shizuo Kambayashi/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Duke of York says Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was 17, failed to state claim warranting relief

Prince Andrew has asked a US judge to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was 17.

In a filing with the US district court in Manhattan on Friday, the Duke of York said the case should be dismissed because Giuffre failed to state a claim warranting relief.

He also said that if dismissal were not granted, Giuffre should provide a “more definitive statement” of her allegations.

Lawyers for Giuffre did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Giuffre, 38, who is one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, sued Andrew for unspecified damages in August.

She accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was underage at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, the late financier and registered sex offender, more than two decades ago.

Giuffre also accused Andrew of abusing her at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, and on one of Epstein’s private islands in the US Virgin Islands.

Andrew, 61, a former friend of Epstein, has not been charged with crimes, and has “categorically” denied Giuffre’s claims. » | Reuters | Friday, October 29, 2021

Prince Andrew is accused of 'victim shaming' by branding Virginia Giuffre a publicity-hungry liar who made up her claims of sexual assault for a 'payday' »

Prince Andrew Given Deadline to Face Questions in Virginia Giuffre Case

THE GUARDIAN: Duke must make himself available by 14 July in US lawsuit brought by woman who accuses him of sexual[ly] abusing her

Prince Andrew vehemently denies allegations he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA
Prince Andrew must make himself available to answer questions under oath by 14 July next year in a civil lawsuit brought by a woman who has accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager.

While not specified in the court papers, the Duke of York and his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, are both expected to answer questions under oath. Depositions must be completed on or before 14 July, said the district judge Lewis Kaplan, who serves in the southern district of New York.

The Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations will take place in June, potentially setting up a clash with the duke’s legal issues over the summer. » | Agencies | Tuesday,, October 26, 2021

Royals Close Door on Andrew…

Prince William ... sees his uncle Prince Andrew as a threat to the Royal Family and will never let him return to public life, according to a new report
MAIL ONLINE: Prince Andrew has been accused of sexually abusing American Virginia Giuffre / He was made to step down from public duties following crisis talks in 2019 / Now, his nephew Prince William has reportedly said Andrew will never return / Andrew's siblings - Charles, Anne and Edward - reportedly share same feelings

Prince Andrew will not return to public life after Charles, Edward and Anne closed the door on him and William branded him a 'threat to the royal family', it has been claimed.

Scotland Yard is also reported to have spoken to the Duke of York's sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre over claims she was raped and sexually assaulted by Andrew when she was 17.

The royal has come under intense scrutiny over the claims and over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffery Epstein.

Andrew, who is not facing any criminal charges, 'categorically' denies Ms Giuffre's claims against him and is thought to be keen to make a return as a working royal.

However, according to sources close to him, Prince William sees his uncle as a threat to the Royal Family and doesn't intend to let him return to public life. » | Chris Jewers for MailOnline | Published: Saturday, October 9, 2021; Updated: Sunday, October 10, 2021

Prince Andrew's Hand 'Has Been Forced' amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Sep 22, 2021 • The Daily Mirror's Royal Editor Russell Myers says it seems Prince Andrew's "hand has been forced" as the Duke of York's lawyers are officially served with legal papers.

The legal papers have been served in a sex abuse case launched by Australian Virginia Giuffre, who claims Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her three times in 2001.

"The Duke of York has essentially been playing cat and mouse with the legal representation of Virginia Giuffre," Mr Myers told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

"It's been a complete wall of silence from the Duke, and certainly my understanding of the last couple of weeks is that Prince Andrew's inner circle has been really putting pressure on him to dump his legal team and to have a new tact.

"But it seems as though his hand has been forced, and he will have to pursue some sort of defence now."

Prince Andrew Served Sexual Assault Lawsuit in United States

Sep 21, 2021 • Prince Andrew has been served with legal papers in the United States. Virginia Giuffre alleges the Duke of York sexually assaulted her when she was 17 and is seeking damages through a civil case in New York.

Prince Andrew denies the allegations.

The Duke's legal team have previously disputed whether he had been officially notified about the case.

I spoke to Adam Klasfeld - an American journalist who has been following the case. I began by asking him: how are Prince Andrew's tactics being viewed over there?

New York Court to Hold Conference on Prince Andrew Abuse Claims

Sep 13, 2021 • Prince Andrew has hired a well-known celebrity lawyer to represent him in the court case against a woman who accuses him of sexual abuse. The civil suit was filed by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges the Duke of York sexually abused her when she was 17, which he denies.

Prince Andrew has a week to challenge high court decision to serve US court papers: Royal’s legal team believed to be contesting service of notice of Virginia Giuffre’s civil sexual assault action »

Prince Andrew Served with Lawsuit from Jeffrey Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre

THE GUARDIAN: A US court document showed paperwork was filed at Royal Lodge and a response is due by 17 September

Prince Andrew has been served with an affidavit for a lawsuit from Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre. Photograph: Reuters
Prince Andrew has been served with an affidavit for a lawsuit say lawyers for Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleges she was forced to have sex with the royal when she was 17 years old.

A document filed in a US court on Friday showed that paperwork for Giuffre’s lawsuit was filed at Andrew’s home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor on 27 August. The affidavit was accepted by a Metropolitan police officer at the gates of the property at 9.30am, after the agent filing the document had been turned away the previous day, according to the documents.

Court documents show that a response is now due from Andrew by 17 September.

Buckingham Palace referred the Guardian to an external PR agency that represents the Duke of York. A spokesperson then said: “No comment.” » | Adam Gabbatt | Friday, September 10, 2021

Prince Andrew’s reputation damaged for ever by Giuffre claims, experts say »

Prince Andrew’s Reputation Damaged for Ever by Giuffre Claims, Experts Say

THE GUARDIAN: Lawyers say Duke of York has lost in court of public opinion and is unlikely to engage with civil case in US

Prince Andrew: ‘The public perception is he’s a condemned man,’ says the royal author Penny Junor. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock
The Duke of York faces an “uphill struggle” to combat the impact of the sex offences allegations made against him and has already lost in the court of public opinion, leaving his reputation “highly tarnished” and a return to royal duties impossible, experts have said.

Following a damaging two weeks in which Andrew’s accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre lodged a civil lawsuit in New York alleging he had sex with her when she was 17, and a source claimed he was a “person of interest” in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, the duke is now caught “between a rock and a hard place,” said one expert.

There has been silence from Andrew – who denies all allegations against him – and his legal team over the latest twists in the long-running case. A day after Giuffre lodged her claims, he headed for Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, in time for the opening of the grouse shooting season.

Buckingham Palace has consistently distanced itself from Andrew’s travails, referring any inquiries to the duke’s personal legal and PR teams. However, that the Queen invited him to Balmoral, and that she authorised him to lead public tributes after the death of Prince Philip, indicates her personal support, royal observers believe. » | Caroline Davies | Friday, April 20, 2021

Met Police to Review Decision Not to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein amid Prince Andrew US Lawsuit

Aug 13, 2021 • Scotland Yard says it will review its decision not to investigate whether the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein committed crimes in London, after one of his accusers lodged a civil case against Prince Andrew in New York.

The Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said no-one was above the law, but would not be opening an investigation into Prince Andrew, who has denied all the allegations.

Prince Andrew: Virginia Giuffre’s Attorney on the Case against the Duke - BBC News

Aug 10, 2021 • As Virginia Giuffre - who claims Prince Andrew sexually abused her when she was 17 years-old - files a civil case against the Duke, #Newsnight interviews Ms Giuffre's attorney, David Boies.

A US woman who alleges she was brought to the UK aged 17 to have sex with the Duke of York has filed a civil case in New York claiming he abused her.

Virginia Giuffre, who was an accuser of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claims she was sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew in London and New York.

A spokeswoman for Prince Andrew, 61, said there was "no comment" on the case, which was filed under New York's Child Victims Act. He has consistently denied the claims.

The case alleges the prince sexually abused Ms Giuffre - then known as Virginia Roberts - at the London home of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and at Epstein's homes in Manhattan and Little St James in the US Virgin Islands.

It claims the prince engaged in sexual acts without her consent, knowing how old she was and "that she was a sex-trafficking victim". >br />
For Newsnight, the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire interviews Virginia Giuffre's attorney, David Boies.


The FULL NEWSIGHT interview here.

GUARDIAN EDITORIAL: Prince Andrew should do his duty »

Affaire Jeffrey Epstein : le prince Charles estime que le prince Andrew ne doit pas revenir à la vie publique

Le prince Andrew et le prince Charles, lors du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II. (Londres, le 5 juin 2012.) | Getty Images
MADAME FIGARO : Alors que le prince Andrew est sous le joug d’accusations d’agressions sexuelles dans le cadre de l’affaire Epstein, le prince Charles estime que son frère ne reviendra pas à la vie publique. Et craint pour la réputation de la famille royale.

De nouveaux développements concernant le prince Andrew et son rôle dans l’affaire Jeffrey Eptsein viennent, encore une fois, porter atteinte à la réputation de la famille royale. Alors que le duc d’York est sous le coup d'une plainte officielle pour agression sexuelle sur mineure et abus sexuel, les membres du clan Windsor sont de plus en plus inquiets concernant la gestion de cette crise.

D’après le Times, le prince Charles aurait peur que cette dernière éclipse le jubilé de platine de la reine, qui doit avoir lieu en juin 2022. «Le prince (Charles) aime son frère et est capable d’éprouver de l'empathie durant la période trouble que ce dernier traverse, quelles qu’en soient les raisons», a déclaré une source au Times. «Cependant, cela portera atteinte à la réputation de l’institution. Il a conclu depuis longtemps qu’il s’agissait probablement d’un problème insoluble», ajoute-t-elle. Le prince de Galles pense – et espère – que son frère Andrew ne reviendra jamais à la vie publique. » | Léonie Dutriévoz | jeudi 12 août 2021

Prince Andrew Cannot Ignore US Court Case, Says Accuser’s Lawyer

Prince Andrew is named as the sole defendant in a civil suit filed at a New York federal court under the state’s Child Victims Act. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Allstar
THE GUARDIAN: Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says it ‘would be very ill-advised for Prince Andrew to ignore judicial process’

Prince Andrew cannot hide behind his wealth and power from allegations he sexually abused a child, a lawyer for his accuser has said, warning the duke that he risks a “default judgment” if he ignores the civil case brought against him in the US.

David Boies, representing Virginia Giuffre, has said he and his client have tried everything they can to resolve the matter after alleging that the Duke of York had sex with her while she was 17 – knowing she had been trafficked by his former friend, the disgraced former financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Boies said people “ignore the courts at your peril”, adding: “It would be very ill-advised for Prince Andrew to ignore judicial process.”

He told the BBC: “If he does, it will be a default judgment against him that will be, in effect, enforced not only in the United States, but in virtually every civilised country in the world.”

Boies added that his client wanted to send a message to rich and powerful men that the behaviour in which she accuses Andrew of engaging was “not acceptable and that you cannot hide behind wealth and power and palace walls”. » | Kevin Rawlinson | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Andrew Renews Questions about His Royal Role

Prince Andrew, center, in Ascot, England, in 2019.Credit...Jonathan Brady/PA Images, via Getty Images
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, sued the prince in New York, saying that he raped and sexually abused her when she was 17.

LONDON — Ten months ago, Prince Andrew was said to be thinking about a return to public duties within the royal family, no matter the revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein or the disastrous television interview he had given about the financier’s sexual assault victims.

But those plans appeared to grow more improbable this week when Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent of dozens of women and girls who have accused Mr. Epstein of sexually exploiting them, sued Prince Andrew in New York, saying that he had raped and sexually abused her when she was 17.

The lawsuit raises the prospect of Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, being found liable for damages to be determined by federal court in Manhattan.

It also crystallized what analysts described as the most serious threat facing the royal family’s image, even as it grapples with accounts of racism and mistreatment from Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. » | Benjamin Mueller | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Related article here.

Prince Andrew ‘stonewalled’ requests to cooperate, court documents say »

Of course Prince Andrew isn’t sweating over this lawsuit – he can’t »

Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview - BBC News. | View it here.

Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre Sues Prince Andrew

Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in federal court in New York. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Giuffre accuses Andrew of sexual abuse at Epstein’s mansion when she was under 18

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an alleged victim of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Monday filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in federal court in New York.

She accused the British royal of sexually abusing her at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan and at other locations in 2001 when she was under the age of 18, according to court records. Prince Andrew has denied having sex with her.

“If she doesn’t do it now, she would be allowing him to escape any accountability for his actions,” Giuffre’s attorney, David Boies, told ABC News, the US news network reported.

He added: “And Virginia is committed to trying to avoid situations where rich and powerful people escape any accountability for their actions.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. Giuffre accuses Andrew of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. » | Joanna Walters in New York and agencies | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Bill Gates says meetings with Jeffrey Epstein were ‘huge mistake’ »

Affaire Epstein : l’accusatrice du prince Andrew a déposé plainte à New York : La plainte de Virginia Giuffre, victime du vaste trafic sexuel fomenté par Jeffrey Epstein, donne un délai d’un an pour intenter une action pour agressions sexuelles. »

Machenschaften mit dem Sexualstraftäter Jeffrey Epstein: Jeffrey Epstein und seine damalige Lebensgefährtin sollen eine Frau zum Geschlechtsverkehr mit Prinz Andrew gezwungen haben. Die Amerikanerin war damals noch nicht volljährig und hat nun Klage in New York eingereicht. »

Special Report: The Prince Who Holds Secrets

This Sky News Australia special investigation probes the connection between the British royal family and one of the biggest scandals in the world.

'Step-up Prince Andrew' Says Gloria Allred, Lawyer for Epstein Victims'

Prince Andrew: Top US Prosecutor Leading Inquiry into Epstein Links Refuses to Quit

THE OBSERVER: Geoffrey Berman says he will continue to investigate duke’s relationship with sex offender despite pressure to resign

The senior US prosecutor investigating links between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein has vowed to carry on with his enquiries despite a dramatic attempt by the Trump administration to force him to resign.

In a late-night announcement on Friday, US attorney general William Barr declared Geoffrey Berman was stepping down, a development seen by critics as designed to benefit Trump politically and challenge the independence of the Justice Department.

But it also comes at a delicate time in the inquiry led by Berman, the US attorney in Manhattan, into Prince Andrew’s links to convicted sex offender Epstein.

Berman and the Duke of York have become embroiled in a series of public rows over what the US prosecutor alleges is his refusal to answer questions in their investigation into allegations of sex trafficking and other crimes against Epstein. » | Mark Townsend, Saturday, June 20, 2020

Prince Andrew Won't Voluntarily Cooperate in Epstein Inquiry, Prosecutor Says

THE GUARDIAN: Despite public offer to help with investigation Andrew has ‘completely shut the door’, and New York attorney general is now considering other options

Prince Andrew has “completely shut the door” on cooperating with US investigators in the Jeffrey Epstein case and they are now “considering” further options, a New York prosecutor said on Monday.

Andrew was a friend of Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender whose death in custody while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York last year was ruled a suicide.

Andrew denies all claims of sexual misconduct relating to the Epstein case but has stepped back from public duties as a result of his connection to it.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Manhattan US attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Contrary to Prince Andrew’s very public offer to cooperate with our investigation into Epstein’s co-conspirators, an offer that was conveyed via press release, Prince Andrew has now completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation and our office is considering its options.” » | Martin Pengelly and Kenya Evelyn in New York | Monday, March 9, 2020