Senior members of the British Royal Family are reportedly “deeply shocked” that Prince Andrew has asked for a jury trial.
The Prince, 61, is being sued for sexual assault in a civil case in the US bought by Virginia Giuffre. The 38-year-old alleges she was made to have sex with the Prince on three occasions when she was 17 (then known by her maiden name of Virginia Roberts).
Giuffre says she was forced to have sex with the Prince by the late, convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his on-off girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Prince Andrew vehemently denies the claims of assault and rape. His lawyers have been attempting to have the case thrown out, but earlier this month, New York Judge Lewis A Kaplan rejected their motion to dismiss.
On Wednesday, the Prince’s lawyers filed an 11-page document listing further reasons for dismissal, such as Giuffre no longer living in the US. It also stated that the Prince demanded a trial by jury, although Giuffre herself had also asked for this.
A source reportedly told The Sun, “After the car crash of Newsnight no-one thinks a seven-hour deposition is a good idea. If he were to appear in court it could be many times worse and senior royals were deeply shocked when they heard that he was demanding a jury trial.
“The best outcome for everyone is that this is settled as soon as possible. There are deep, deep worries that this will get worse and worse for the family and will overshadow Platinum Jubilee celebrations.”
In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave an interview to the BBC’s Newsnight, in an attempt to defend himself from the allegations. However, resulting interview was a PR disaster.
The Platinum Jubilee refers to Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne. The UK has numerous events planned to mark the occasion.
Related: Sarah Ferguson just threw the entire royal family under the bus… then got hit by the bus herself
Reporting on the Prince’s lawyers’ latest filing, the BBC’s Royal Reporter, Nicholas Witchell, said, “I think Buckingham Palace, which has pushed Prince Andrew and this whole case as far away as it possibly can, will be viewing this with suppressed horror.”
The document filed Wednesday by the Prince’s team again denies the allegations leveled against him. It also denies that he was a close friend of Ghislaine Maxwell (who was found guilty last month in her own sex trafficking trial). This is despite the existence of numerous photos of Maxwell and Andrew together.
Among the reasons given to dismiss the case, his lawyers ask the judge to consider the issues of consent, saying, “Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the complaint, Giuffre’s claims are barred by the doctrine of consent.”
It also says the case should be thrown as, “Giuffre’s alleged causes of action are barred in whole or in part by her own wrongful conduct.” Some, including Giuffre’s lawyers, see this as an attempt to blame her for the situation in which she found herself.
Some legal experts believe the Prince’s latest move, including the demand for a jury trial, could be a bluff to buy the Royal more time.
In a statement, David Boies, who is representing Ms. Giuffre, said his client and legal team “look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms. Giuffre for her own abuse at his deposition and at trial”.
barryaksarben
I have to say she did not look coerced in any of the photos. I have known a sex trafficed woman who never stopped fighting to get away and there was never a photo of her smiling with anyone who abducted her
Cam
Wow, I was wondering what tactic the right wing trolls would take on this one, but trying to pretend that an underaged kid is responsible for somebody trafficking them to old rich men was a direction I didn’t think you would try.
Disgusting.
theherald
Rot in hell, Barry.
LumpyPillows
Ah, everyone is a troll who disagrees… Part of why people hate self-important leftists and fascists. She banged a prince. I believe the photos show this probably happened and she was very happy about it. I believe she consented as far as banging the prince also based on the chummy photos with beaming smiles. She has now regrets her decisions, or sees them as an opportunity to sue someone who is still alive with a reason to not want the publicity. Whatever happened between this jet-setting teen and Maxwell and Epstein may have been twisted and illegal. I’m not sure what happened with the much younger prince was a crime. And none of you know yet either. So, flame on jerks, I won’t be reading your personal attacks.
Chrisk
Yes she was wined and dined and probably loved the attention. Especially from a real Prince. If she was actually coerced she should’ve gone to the police. Now she’s suing him decades later.
However, she was underaged at the time so will see where this goes.
Cam
@LumpyPillows
Thank you for verifying that it’s the “Leftists” who care about child trafficking and rape and the right wingers don’t
lilithhelborn
WTF is wrong with you? If she was under age it does not matter if she was begging or willing to pay him to have sex with her- it is still wrong- it’s rape. Periodt. An adult has ALL the responsibility from assaulting a minor. You are every bit as sick as Epstein, trump, Maxwell & the little prince.
scotshot
LUMPY PILLOWS Believe? Believe a rightwing Russian Troll? Trumpists have taught many that just because you’ve said it doesn’t mean it’s true. Off with your head!
Chrisk
This is what you get for playing with kids.
Diplomat
Andrew just knows how to step in a steaming cow÷pie better than most. The difference is he leaves his foot there, and smiles for the camera. Bois will fry him in a jury trial.
I see big dollars for VG.
cc423
So you are cool with an adult man having sex with an underaged girl… wow. That says a lot about the quality of your soul.
Jim
Yep, his lawyers are playing legal games, but I think Andrew is not being served well by them.
Good news is his randy ass is gonna get wooped
justwannaleaveonecomment
Truly. I wonder if they don’t realize the age of consent is higher in the US and even a consensual encounter between a minor and an adult would be statutory rape on the adult’s part. Really the only question is how can she prove it. Then again, the guy seems to talk himself into trouble so she might not have to.
Fahd
His team is very obviously looking to bluff to buy more time. She already demanded a jury trial, but of course the costs go way up if they do in fact have a jury trial.
I think the premise here that the Royal Family is horrified at the prospect is BS. Their own legal experts would have explained what Andrew’s legal team is up to – push up her costs in an effort to promote settlement.
She doesn’t seem to be blinking, however, and wouldn’t that be something if Andrew actually had to submit to being deposed.
marshal phillips
She has already demanded a jury which is her right; so it doesn’t matter if he also “demanded” one too.
Fahd
@marshall
I think she could withdraw her demand for a jury trial. The Prince’s demand for a jury trial would preserve his right to have a jury trial, if she did withdraw her demand; but there must be an expert on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure who reads the comments here. He may weigh in.
bachy
What I don’t understand is how Giuffre is somehow completely exempted from being charged with criminal behavior. How is it that she is 100% innocent of all criminal intent in this equation? Can’t a teenager be charged with a crime? Is Giuffre so perfectly, unequivocally innocent that she deserves to be awarded millions in a settlement?
A lot of these sex crime victims seem to be reaching for the gold cup, riding hard on the political sentiments of our time.
I wish I had a nickel for everyone I screwed at 17!
Cam
Hi same old troll, if you’re going to switch names to come in and repost, try taking the time to at least make your new screename seen real.
Now, since Andrew is on the hook for child trafficking and statutory rape, it’s cute that you tried to invent a situation where the victim should be accused with a crime. Funny though how you couldn’t think of any crime she could be charged with.
LeBlevsez
Is LumpyPillows, who won’t be reading our attacks, a coward? Discuss.
CurtisIsTheOne
While I might be able to empathize with the defense that this young woman probably enjoyed the attention she was getting from a Prince and was probably NOT coerced into having sex with an older man, we are still left with the facts: An older man had consensual sex with a minor. This case probably wouldn’t exist if the plaintiff was 18 at the time. Just a year older. And there’s certainly a price to be paid for the “creepy factor”. Now I wouldn’t dream of “holding accountable” the numerous older guys I had sex with when I was legally a minor. Frankly, I was grateful for the attention and the sex. But that’s just me: I take responsibility for my own conduct. And there’s none of that taking place in this lawsuit, and I’m not saying that legally she doesn’t have a right to sue. Prince Andrew did wrong. And he got caught. And now the law says he has to pay. Fairness has nothing to do with this case and neither does morality.
Cam
A long post to desperately try to mitigate that Andrew was f*cking underaged girls that were trafficked to him by convicted criminals.
Dax45
I believe he slept with her, of that I have no doubt. However was this a crime? I don’t think so. The age of consent in the UK is 16. To me I think she was probably thinking omg I’ve bagged myself a real life prince here. Was he mortally wrong to sleep with her, absolutely but not illegal. As for his association with Epstein I would imagine he was quite taken with the wealth and freedom of being his friend, I know that the royals have wealth beyond imagination, but it come with a lot of rules and such. As for the lads bringing the case, we’ll she is doing it in another country that that the supposed crime was committed due to the face he hasn’t committed a crime here. Also I believe she is morally corrupt herself, she got a payout from Epstein with the agreement not to pursue any of his associates which is exactly what she is doing. Plus the fame and notoriety can be quite intoxicating and addictive and for somebody who doesn’t like attention she sure does love going on the television. And let’s not forget the girls that she herself encouraged to join in on The Who trafficking situation, she was young and got to travel the world on a private jet with a lavish lifestyle and I think she enjoyed it.
Anyway this is all just my own opinion.
Also it amazes me how differently this is reported in the USA compared to the UK. It seems like the US media have taken sides and don’t seem to see no wrong in this lady and that the prince is the villain. And it’s a little trial by media, I don’t see how he can get a fair trial.
The same went for Maxwell, I have no doubt she was guilty however people seem to be getting prosecuted and found guilty instead of the main perpetrator.
inbama
Unfortunately for him, the alleged sex with the aging blackmailer took place in New York.
Matthew
The Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has had a somewhat unsavory reputation for as long as I can remember. When he was dating soft porn model Koo Stark back in the day, the tabloids had a field day. VG’s case and lawyers are banking on The Queen or The Prince Charles coughing up the cash to pay any settlement, they are likely to be sadly disappointed. The Prince Andrew is bleeding cash at the moment, thanks to his high priced lawyers, and his rich friends have probably all run for the hills. Even if VG wins her suit it is likely to be a moral victory only, I don’t think Prince Andrew has any ready cash, and what he does is probably so tied up in trusts that it is untouchable by US courts.
M K
I’m always curious where the parents were during all these encounters and trips everywhere with strangers. I think they too should have some responsibility for lack of care for a minor in their care.
basils_Herald
The British constitution is to convince 99% of the country to go along with the rules, whilst the nobles get to do whatever they like. This is sadly a consequence of tyranny. Queen Elizabeth II is a best in class monarch, who has dedicated her life to the people of Britain and to international peace. She is still in charge of a system that considers her to be the fount of all virtue. In America, the people are the fount of all virtue. As queen, she can add anyone to the Lords whom she likes for life! Otherwise the Lords consists of 92, male-only hereditary titles and bishops from the Church (also headed by the monarch). The British prime minister is actually the English prime minister superimposed on the rest of the three kingdoms (Northern Ireland isn’t actually a kingdom and is dysfunctional enough for its own thread). Other than during question time, the prime minister is accountable to nobody, he may appoint whom he likes and can keep what he likes secret. There is nothing remotely close to the idea of a congressional record (except maybe the queen’s mace). As bad as it is in America, it could be worse: we could be Britain.