Britain’s Prince Andrew has settled a sex abuse lawsuit with an American woman who claimed he raped her when she was a teenager.
Virginia Giuffre, formerly Virginia Roberts, 38, accused Andrew of raping her when she was 17. She claims she was sex trafficked to Andrew by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In addition to a reported $10 million out-of-court settlement, Andrew, 61, will also make a substantial donation to Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
In a now infamous photo (above), a smiling Giuffre is seen with Andrew and Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, after they flew to London to hook up with Andrew in 2001.
Maxwell, 60, was recently convicted of sex trafficking minors for Epstein and his well-heeled friends, including celebrities, politicians, and corporate billionaires. Epstein took his own life in a Manhattan jail cell on August 10, 2019.
Embarrassed members of the Royal family urged Andrew to settle with his accuser, who filed the suit in a New York court in August.
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly ordered her middle son to settle the case before her Platinum Jubilee celebrations later this year.
The Queen will foot part of the bill, according to DailyMail.com. The news comes after Andrew vowed to fight Giuffre’s allegations at a public trial.
