Prince Andrew will give evidence next month in Giuffre lawsuit- source

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Andrew will give proof subsequent month within the intercourse abuse lawsuit introduced by Virginia Giuffre, a supply near the prince stated on Saturday.

The Duke of York, who denies accusations that he sexually abused Giuffre twenty years in the past when she was 17, will converse underneath oath in London, the Day by day Telegraph newspaper reported.

“We agreed to voluntarily produce the Duke for a deposition on March 10. Regardless of repeated requests, Ms. Giuffre nonetheless hasn’t dedicated to a date or location for her deposition,” the supply informed Reuters.

Giuffre, 38, sued Andrew final August, alleging he battered her whereas the late financier and convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking her.

In a submitting with the U.S. District Court docket in Manhattan, Andrew, 61, admitted assembly Epstein in or round 1999, however denied Giuffre’s allegation that he “dedicated sexual assault and battery” upon her.

Andrew’s ties to Epstein, who killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 whereas awaiting trial on intercourse abuse fees, have undermined his status with the general public and standing in Britain’s Royal Household.

Final month, the household eliminated Andrew’s navy hyperlinks and navy patronages, and stated the second son of Queen Elizabeth would now not be often known as “His Royal Highness”.

The prince’s attorneys beforehand known as Giuffre’s lawsuit “baseless” and accused her of in search of one other payday.

Giuffre acquired $500,000 in a 2009 civil settlement with Epstein.

U.S. District Choose Lewis Kaplan has stated a trial might start between September and December 2022.

If Giuffre received at trial, Andrew might owe her damages. She has requested for an unspecified quantity.

Andrew has not been criminally charged, and no prison fees could be introduced in Giuffre’s civil lawsuit.

(Reporting by Michael Holden, writing by Andy Bruce, enhancing by Timothy Heritage)