Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Prince Andrew Is Dismissed In Court After Settlement Agreement

The federal lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre as a teenager has been dismissed after both parties reached a settlement agreement.

A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit Tuesday after a request from both parties, according to The New York Times.

“We are pleased that the settlement that was agreed to last month has now been completed,” David Boies, Giuffre’s attorney said in a statement to Oxygen.com. “This is an important step, but it should not be the last step in holding Jeffrey Epstein’s enablers and participants to account.”

Giuffre had accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her on three separate occasions when she was 17 years old while she was in the company of Epstein and his confidante, Ghislaine Maxwell—who was convicted herself of sex trafficking in December.

Giuffre and Prince Andrew reached the out of court settlement in February, not long before Prince Andrew had been expected to be deposed in connection with the civil suit.

“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,” a joint statement previously obtained by Oxygen.com to announce the settlement read. “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.”

The statement goes on to add that Prince Andrew “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.”

Although the amount of the settlement was undisclosed, The Telegraph reported the settlement designated for Giuffre and her charity is around $16 million.

As part of the agreement, each party has agreed to pay for its own costs and fees associated with the lawsuit, according to court documents filed Tuesday that were obtained by The New York Times.

Prince Andrew’s attorneys have yet to comment on the dismissal of the suit.

The Duke of York has been the focus of increased public scrutiny and criticism since the allegations against him were made public. In January, he was stripped of his military titles and charities by The Queen.

Epstein had been facing federal sex trafficking charges when he took his life in August of 2019 while awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail cell.