Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Royal Family, News, Jeffrey Epstein
Kimberley Bond
Prince Andrew’s decision to agree to an out of court settlement with Virginia Giuffre has been criticised by Emily Maitlis.
Maitlis, who conducted the now infamous Newsnight interview with the Duke of York in 2019, has now argued that his choice to settle doesn’t marry with the answers he previously gave her.
You can watch a clip of the interview below.
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Writing on the BBC website, Maitlis explained: “At the heart of the settlement is the biggest question of all: why is a prince who told me he had 'no recollection of ever meeting this lady' now paying her what we understand to be upwards of £10m?
“I distinctly remember putting Virginia Giuffre's accusations to him directly: 'She says she met you in 2001, she dined with you, danced with you, you bought her drinks in Tramp nightclub and she went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia.'
“And I have the Prince's reply in front of me now. Three words only: ‘It didn't happen.’”
Maitlis continued that she was disappointed "on a journalistic level" that we wouldn't get to see Prince Andrew speak in court.
She also noted that she found it interesting how that the Queen's second eldest son had changed his view on his relationship with late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
"I asked him specifically if he regretted the whole friendship with Epstein. And I remember my own inward gasp when he said: 'No, still not... and the reason being that the people that I met and the opportunities that I was given to learn... were actually very useful,'" she said.
"In other words, that friendship was something he still valued two years ago. So why does he 'regret' it now? Or does he only regret that it has become a source of such immense subsequent damage?"
A court document reads: “Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out-of-court settlement. The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre’s receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed).
“Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.
“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.
“He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
The Telegraph reports Prince Andrew will pay £12 million to Giuffre in the agreed settlement.