Now that the lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre against Prince Andrew has been settled, what happens to Prince Andrew's royal title and status? The prince's patronages, charities and titles will not be returned to him. And while an out of court settlement does not allude to any wrongdoing on part of the prince, his path back to Duke of York remains barred, a royal expert told The Mirror. While he continues to be a part of the family, he will never have a public role, ever. Thanks to his association with a convicted paedophile, his reputation remains tarnished forever.
A tentative settlement has been reached in a lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old, according to a court filing Tuesday.
Attorney David Boies, who represents Giuffre, said in a filing in Manhattan federal court that lawyers on both sides were informing the judge that a settlement in principle has been reached and they'll request a dismissal of the lawsuit within a month.
Why was the royal in trouble?
Giuffre sued Andrew in August. The American accused the British royal of sexually abusing her when she was 17 while she travelled with financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has strenuously denied Giuffre's allegations and attempted to get the lawsuit tossed.
On January 27, when the case was picking up heat, Prince Andrew had returned all his military titles and his royal title to his mother, the Queen.
A royal scandal
The matter of whether Andrew's titles would be reinstated was discussed among senior royals-- Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William. Andrew will retain his title the Duke of York, but, cannot be addressed as His Royal Highness. He will also keep his place in the line of succession to the throne, which is currently ninth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's two children. The change in status is definitely a big blow to the prince who is his mother's favourite and a dashing helicopter pilot.
Post Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit in January 2020, this scandal has truly shaken the royal family. Born on February 19, 1960, Andrew attended Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, same as his father, Prince Philip. He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986, but the couple got divorced in 1996 amid reports of infidelity. The couple has two daughters— Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugene. Sarah Ferguson and the prince appear to have had an amicable divorce-- the two still share a home at Royal Lodge, near Windsor Castle. The Prince was often referred to as 'Randy Andy' thanks to his playboy image.
--With PTI inputs