From the very moment Prince Andrew was named by Virginia Giuffre for allegedly sexually assaulting her on three different occasions, both the Duke of York and Buckingham Palace haven’t wavered when it comes to denying the shocking claims. Now that Andrew is being served legal papers in a civil sexual assault case, it appears his approach is altering a bit. According to the Daily Mail, the drawn-out legal “cat and mouse” game is over, as “it’s time to turn and fight back.” The prince’s lawyers finally acknowledged the lawsuit on September 24, and he has until October 29 to respond.
Despite previously keeping mum, Andrew has every intention of “[clearing] his name,” the source said to the outlet. “The decision to bring in high-profile [U.S. lawyer] Andrew Brettler to fight the civil case marks a significant turning point in approach, and the US team will be looking to robustly engage and challenge the claims from Mrs. Giuffre in a bid to provide the Duke with a platform,” the insider explained, adding Andrew’s lawyers “will be looking to examine and dismantle the claims one by one.”
While speaking about the accusations during a rare interview with the BBC in 2019 (via CNN), Andrew doubled-down on his innocence, saying he never engaged in sexual acts with Giuffre. “It didn’t happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever,” he insisted.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).