Prince Andrew does not escape the lawsuit

Prince Andrew also didn’t get out of the woods in the lawsuit that began with the abuse of Jeffrey Epstein and that led to Ghislaine Maxwell pleads guilty. Virginia Giuffre, one of the victims, Andrew is now also on trial.

Geoffrey, 38, has stated that not only was she a victim of the now-deceased Epstein, but that at the age of 17 she was abused three times by Andrew. The 61-year-old prince, who is the second son of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, has always denied the allegations.

His lawyers have done their best in recent months to dismiss the case. They noted that Joffrey reached an amicable settlement with Epstein in 2009 stating that in exchange for the $500,000 surrender fee, it would absolve not only Epstein but “anyone else” involved in the case from prosecution. But the judge ruled yesterday that Joffrey’s civil suit was well-founded, allowing the trial to continue.

Andrew and Joffrey can still agree on an amicable settlement, but the chances of that seem slim. Giuffre chief to file a full lawsuit. Because it is a civil matter, Andrew cannot be extradited to the United States. So he may choose to leave the whole thing up to his lawyer. This would save him agonizing testimonies in court.

But he and the British royal family will suffer damage anyway. Although his mother, Queen Elizabeth, has already relieved him of almost all of his positions, the public trial remains extremely painful. Andrew is considered the favorite son of Elizabeth. She will celebrate her 70th birthday on the throne in June, in life and luxury. While concerns about her health have risen in recent months, Buckingham Palace is preparing for an “invisible” birthday celebration.