Royal Shocker: Prince Andrew Confirms Return to Spotlight Following Civil Case
Prince Andrew will reportedly join a royal event after resolving the civil lawsuit filed by his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
Over a month since the Duke of York barely saved his name, he is reportedly gearing up to appear in public as a royal again as he plans to attend next week's thanksgiving service for Prince Philip.
Prince Andrew's spokesperson confirmed the news to BBC, saying that it would be the royal prince's first public appearance since the settlement of his case in the US.
It will also serve as his first engagement since withdrawing from his royal duties.
In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave up his titles and engagements after his ill-advised BBC interview where he talked about his friendship and ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The statement, however, did make it clear that he only decided to step back from his duties for the foreseeable future and not totally stay away for good.
The service will reportedly be held at Westminster Abbey. Aside from Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II is also expected to attend the service following her COVID-19 diagnosis. Meanwhile, Prince Harry has since confirmed he would not be traveling to the UK to take part in the event.
How Prince Andrew Settled Case With Virginia Giuffre
Earlier this month, the attorneys for Prince Andrew and Giuffre filed notice in the Southern District of New York court, revealing that the parties settled the case.
The court document, as shared by ABC News, said that the case had been dismissed "with prejudiced."
US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan then signed the court papers to dismiss the lawsuits. Both parties reportedly agreed to a settlement as the Duke of York would donate to the accuser's charity and make the declaration about her character.
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"Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre's charity to support victims' rights. 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," the letter to the judge said.
Prince Andrew also acknowledged that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls in the past years. With that, he reportedly regrets his association with the late pedophile before commending the survivors' bravery to stand up for themselves.
Following the news, London lawyer Nick Goldstone said that the development was a huge relief for the royal family.
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