Prince Andrew's accuser not motivated by 'purely financial settlement'

Prince Andrew’s accuser is not motivated by the prospect of a “purely financial settlement”, her lawyer has said.

David Boies said that Virginia Giuffre wants to be “vindicated” by the legal process, and that there was “no suggestion of settlement discussions at this point”.

Ms Giuffre accuses Andrew, the Duke of York, of forcing her to have sex more than two decades ago at a London home of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

Then 17, and a minor under US law, Ms Giuffre alleges she was trafficked by convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Andrew.

The Duke of York denies the claims.

Earlier this week, a judge ruled Ms Giuffre’s allegations could be heard at a civil trial.

This means that a settlement is one of the few options that would mean Andrew would not have to have the allegations heard in open court.

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But Mr Boies has put a settlement in doubt, suggesting his client would not be satisfied by money alone and may want her day in court.

He told BBC’s Newsnight: “I think it’s very important to Virginia Giuffre that this matter be resolved in a way that vindicates her and vindicates the other victims.

“I don’t think she has a firm view at this point, or could she, as to exactly what a solution should be.

“But I think what’s going to be important is that this resolution vindicates her and vindicates the claim she has made.

‘I don’t want to prejudge’

“A purely financial settlement is not anything that I think she’s interested in.”

When he was asked if Ms Giuffre was open to the idea of a settlement, he replied: “I don’t want to prejudge that.”

Meanwhile, a group of armed forces veterans has called on the Queen to strip her son of his military ranks and titles, which include his role as colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British Army.

The 152 veterans of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the army said, in a letter coordinated by the anti-monarchy group Republic, that Andrew’s position in the armed forces is now “untenable”.

‘Fallen well short of standards’

“Were this any other senior military officer it is inconceivable that he would still be in post,” the letter added.

“Officers of the British armed forces must adhere to the very highest standards of probity, honesty and honourable conduct.

“These are standards which Prince Andrew has fallen well short of.

“It is hard not to see, when senior officers are reportedly describing him as ‘toxic’, that he has brought the services he is associated with into disrepute.

“We are therefore asking that you take immediate steps to strip Prince Andrew of all his military ranks and titles and, if necessary, that he be dishonourably discharged.”

Senior military officers do not have the power to sack Andrew – only the Queen, as head of the armed forces, does.

Regiments left in limbo

Buckingham Palace declined to comment, but has previously said that the duke’s military appointments are in a state of temporary suspension after he stepped down from public duties in 2019.

But Andrew retained his military roles, leaving a number of regiments in limbo.

His other British honorary military titles are: Honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm; royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers; deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own); and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

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