What we learned from Prince Andrew’s statement on Virginia Giuffre settlement

Prince Andrew will have paid a high price to avoid making any apology to his sex abuse accuser, legal experts have said.

The Duke of York avoided making any personal admissions of guilt in a statement announcing that he had settled the case brought by Virginia Roberts-Giuffre.

But as he makes a payout estimated to be in excess of £10million, lawyers said that he would have had to agree to a “premium” rate in order to avoid admitting that he had even met Ms Giuffre.

There was the speculation that the statement, which ended with a pledge to support victims of “evil” sex trafficking, is an attempt by the Queen’s second son to keep the door open for a return to Royal life.

The short statement, though leaving the settlement details shrouded in secrecy, reveals a lot about the negotiations that have occurred behind closed doors.

1. No apology

Whilst the Duke says he “regrets” his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, at no point does he apologise for any of his actions in the case or his associations with the financier.

Gideon Benaim, a partner at Simkins specialising in reputation protection, said that an apology “would likely have been a stumbling point for the Duke, who maintains his innocence” but in order to avoid it, the amount he paid is “likely to be greater”.

Ms Giuffre’s lawyer David Boies has previously told this newspaper that she would not settle if Prince Andrew maintained his innocence, but they would “look at” a “settlement that was large enough to be, in effect, a vindication”.

Nick Goldstone, head of dispute resolution at international law firm Ince, said that Prince Andrew was left with “nowhere to go” and will have “absolutely” paid a “premium” to try and rescue his damaged reputation.

2. Backtracks on Giuffre attacks

As he battled to get the sex abuse allegations against him thrown out by the court in New York, Prince Andrew’s lawyers made a series of lurid attacks on Ms Giuffre and her motivation for bringing the case.

In a 36-page response to her civil suit in October, they accused her of trying to get “another payday at his expense” and made allegations about the part she played “in Epstein’s criminal enterprise”.

But Tuesday’s statement took a very different tone, claiming that the Duke “never intended to malign” her character, praising her “bravery” and acknowledging that she was a victim of abuse and had suffered as a result of “unfair” attacks.

3. Acknowledges Epstein’s wrongs

Whilst making no admission of his own liability, the statement does include the most explicit recognition by the Duke of the crimes of his former friend.

In the wake of Epstein’s suicide in prison in August 2019, Prince Andrew maintained that he knew nothing of his lifestyle and said in a now infamous Newsnight interview that he “still” did not regret his association with the convicted sex offender because the “opportunities” it gave him were “useful”.

He has since attempted to distance himself, but the statement for the first time recognises the “countless young girls” who were trafficked and “pledges to demonstrate his regret” for his association with Epstein.

4. Bid for rehabilitation

In vowing to “fight against the evils of sex trafficking”, Prince Andrew is thought to be attempting to leave the path open for a return to public life.

He was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages last month and whilst insiders have said that there is no plan to return them to him, it is thought that his pledge to work with victims could be an attempt to recover his standing in society.

Mr Goldstone said: “These statements make it look like he is trying to rehabilitate himself, not now but if he is supporting victims publicly then it may leave the door open for him to return in say 10 years. But he is toxic, and this settlement will not have changed the verdict of the court of public opinion.”

The statement confirms that he has made a “substantial” payment to Ms Giuffre’s charity and to support victims of sex trafficking.

However, Nazir Afzal, a former chief prosecutor, said that he has spoken with many sexual attack victims and they have told him that they would not work with Prince Andrew, given his public statements in recent years.

“The people that I have spoken to were aghast at what Prince Andrew had been saying about victims both generally and in relation to Ms Giuffre,” he said. “They would not welcome him.”

Mr Afzal described the settlement as “blood money” and that the Prince could have made a donation to charity “at any point”.

What the statement doesn’t say

Aside from Epstein, Prince Andrew does not make any comment on his relationship with anyone involved in the case.

He has maintained throughout that he has no recollection of ever meeting Ms Giuffre, and the statement makes no comment on whether he remembers meeting the woman he is now paying millions of pounds to.

The statement also avoids any mention of why the settlement has been reached now, despite him demanding a trial by jury just weeks ago.

Had a settlement not been agreed, the Duke would have had to give a deposition (filmed evidence under oath) on March 10.