Prince Andrew failed to persuade a federal judge in the United States to reject Virginia Giuffre’s complaint which accuses the Duke of York of sexually assaulting her while she was a minor and of being trafficked by the late British financier Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan allowed Giuffre, 38, to pursue accusations that Andrew beat her and willfully caused her emotional distress in a judgement made public on Wednesday.
Andrew’s efforts to “throw doubt” on such assertions were deemed immature by the judge, though the 61-year-old prince might do so at a trial.
“It’s also too early to say if Giuffre and Epstein intended to “clearly and unmistakably” release persons like Andrew as part of a 2009 settlement deal that concluded Giuffre’s lawsuit against the late financier, ” Kaplan commented.
Andrew’s and Giuffre’s attorneys did not reply to calls for comment.
The judgement leaves Giuffre’s case against Andrew on track for a trial that might start later this year, according to Kaplan.
While the allegations have not been proven, and the prince has not been charged with any illegal activity, his ties to Epstein have tarnished his reputation and cost him several royal tasks.
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