[imagesource: New York Post photo composite]

Given that Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre have now settled out of court, you would think the royal wasn’t all too keen on having more dirty laundry aired in public.

Perhaps that infamous photo of Andrew, Virginia, and Ghislaine Maxwell is real after all.

News broke last night that a settlement had been reached, meaning Andrew won’t face a jury trial on claims that he sexually abused and raped Giuffre on three separate occasions when she was 17.

He will face a whopping bill and given his perilous financial situation questions remain over how he will pay that.

In short, mummy. Here’s The Telegraph:

The Duke of York will pay his accuser more than £12 million using money from the Queen…

The Queen’s contribution to the settlement will come from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by £1.5 million to more than £23 million…

Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The Queen has already privately funded the Duke’s legal fight to the tune of millions of pounds and will now partly fund the settlement in order to allow her son – and the entire Royal family – to draw a line under the case that had threatened to overshadow her Platinum Jubilee year.

Oh no, not the Platinum Jubilee!

So Prince Harry does an interview with Oprah and questions the family’s attitudes towards race and he’s ostracised, but the Duke of York settles shortly before a massive sexual abuse civil trial, and mother dearest swoops in to help him stump up the cash?

Stunning.

It’s reported that negotiations over the settlement lasted more than 10 days, with the Duke’s legal team willing to cut a deal as the date for his deposition grew nearer.

That deposition would have seen him questioned under oath by Giuffre’s legal team. After that total trainwreck of an interview he gave to the BBC, I can’t imagine he was looking forward to that.

I’d say it probably didn’t help that a former massage therapist came forward last week and labelled Andrew a “constant sex pest”.

The £12 million settlement will go to Giuffre and her charity.

A statement filed with the New York court on Tuesday said: “Virginia Giuffre [below] and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement.” It said both parties anticipated filing a “stipulated dismissal” of the case within 30 days, when Ms Giuffre was in receipt of the money.

Image: Tribune News Service via Getty

The joint statement revealed that the Duke would also make a “substantial” donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. It contained no admission of liability and no apology.

Prince Andrew has been stripped of various royal titles, but he does get to keep his dukedom and the Windsor home, Royal Lodge.

Other than a public appearance on March 29, honouring Prince Philip, he’s been told to keep a low profile.

Probably for the best that, old chap.

[source:telegraph]