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My sympathies for Prince Andrew can be politely be described as very limited.

Earlier this week, Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against him in federal court in New York.

Giuffre alleges that Prince Andrew sexually abused her at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, as well as at other locations, in 2001 when she was 17.

David Boies, a lawyer representing Giuffre, says the Duke of York has been dodging his client for the past five years, and been entirely uncooperative with authorities.

Now Boies says that more women are prepared to testify against Prince Andrew, reports The Telegraph:

“I think you will see additional evidence, for example, you’ve heard some testimony about other girls who saw Andrew with Virginia, and there will be additional testimony about that from the same woman, but from some other women too,” he said.

Mr Boies was referring to Johanna Sjoberg, the only other accuser to have come forward publicly to allege sexual contact with the royal.

Sjoberg has previously detailed how Prince Andrew groped her using a Spitting Image puppet of himself, and alleges that in 1999, she visited Balmoral with the prince and Jeffrey Epstein.

That’s the Queen’s private Scottish estate, where Prince Andrew is currently hiding out as the walls close in:

He is said to have left for Scotland with his former wife, the Duchess of York, hours before a US summons was approved by a court clerk and sent to Royal Lodge, his Windsor home. He is understood to have 21 days to respond or face “judgment by default”.

The lawsuit is civil, rather than criminal, meaning Prince Andrew would be liable to pay damages to Giuffre if he lost the case, rather than going to jail.

Quite how he would afford those damages is also worth a closer look.

Mark Stephens, who has represented multiple victims of sexual harassment as related to the #MeToo movement, estimates that the jury could award anywhere between $20 million and $100 million.

On appeal, that may be reduced to something like $30 million to $50 million.

Once more, The Telegraph:

David McClure, a royal finance expert and author of The Queen’s True Worth, said: “Prince Andrew’s finances are shrouded in a pea soup of impenetrability. This is symbolised by the fact that no one knows how he was able to get a mortgage for some £13 million to buy a luxury ski chalet in Verbier in 2014.

“He has an affluent lifestyle, but where does the money come from? He has no discernible income.”

There have been reports of business dealings in a secretive Caribbean tax haven and commercial activities conducted under the radar.

No discernible income, no real job, and hiding out at his mother’s castle. What a bloke.

The relationship between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein first came to light when his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, accepted £15 000 from the convicted paedophile financier to help pay off her debts.

Because it’s a US civil suit, Prince Andrew could simply ignore the ruling, with the only legal fallout there being the forfeiture of any US assets he may own.

Of course, he could also ask his dear mother, McClure says:

“Judging by the fact that the Queen is known to bankroll less well-off members of her family, it’s logical to assume that if he was short of funds and had a big outlay in terms of legal bills that she would help.

“She gets more than £22 million a year from the Duchy of Lancaster, she is not short of cash.

“There’s a split between her guardianship of the Royal family and its reputation and her love for her son. She must be torn.”

Sorry about sexually abusing underage women, mom – can I have around $50 million to settle my bills?

Prince Charles is reported to have said that he sees no way back to public life for his brother, even if the civil lawsuit goes in his favour.

Maybe he can get a real job, like his nephew?

[sources:telegraph&telegraph]