UK Edition
Exclusive: Prince Andrew agrees not to repeat his denial that he raped Virginia Giuffre
Gagging clause in out-of-court settlement prevents the Duke from even repeating his claim that he had no recollection of meeting his accuser
The Duke of York can no longer repeat his denial that he raped Virginia Roberts Giuffre, due to the terms of their out-of-court settlement.
A gagging clause means neither side can discuss the case or the financial deal, which was signed off at the weekend.
It prevents the Duke from even repeating his claim that he had no recollection of meeting Ms Giuffre.
The £12 million pay-off is understood to include a £10 million payment for Ms Giuffre and a £2 million payment for her sex trafficking charity.
Ms Giuffre’s lawyers, who have been working pro bono, are not thought to be taking any payment from the settlement.
It has been claimed that the terms of the deal bought Ms Giuffre’s silence only for a specific time period, which could allow her to write a book or give television interviews in a matter of months.
The Duke’s main concern during the settlement negotiations was to ensure that nothing overshadowed the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, it is understood.
As a result, they are said to be bound only until the royal celebrations are over.
A friend of the Duke said: “If you’re going to go for legal resolution at those sorts of prices then you want silence - but what we’ve got is silence for the Platinum Jubilee.”
Ms Giuffre is expected to give a victim impact statement to a New York court in June, when Ghislaine Maxwell is sentenced for sex trafficking. However, the deal struck with the Duke makes it unlikely she will be able discuss the allegations made against him.
No public statements or interviews
The Duke is not expected to give any public statements or interviews until at least the end of the year.
Beyond that, his team will make their decisions based on careful analysis of the public mood and how the family feels the House of York fits in with the wider plans of the monarchy.
The Duke has pledged, as part of the settlement, to support the “fight against the evils of sex trafficking” and to support its victims.
A statement released via the New York court that had overseen the case contained no reassertion of his previous denials.
It was welcomed by royal observers, legal experts and campaigners alike.
Gloria Allred, a US lawyer who represented several of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, said the settlement meant the public “will just have to decide who they believe”.
She told Radio 4: “Lawsuits are war but a settlement means that both sides are seeking peace, and that’s what happened here.
“There will be peace now but this case will be remembered for many, many years to come.”