Prince Andrew’s Mother THE QUEEN Might Help Pay His Estimated $12 Million Legal Settlement
Even though I know that Prince Andrew agreeing to a settlement with his accuser Virginia Giuffre was the most likely and advantageous outcome for both parties, part of me is suffering from a bad case of justice interruptus. Given that his mother THE QUEEN can pop over to The Tower of London and pocket any number of shiny bits and bobbles she likes from The Crown Jewels, the reported $12 million settlement that Andrew has agreed to pay, is a paltry sum indeed. Hell, Liz probably has enough loose diamonds hidden beneath every sofa, settee, and fainting couch in Buckingham Palace to choke a horse. But according to the New York Post, The Queen will reportedly only be paying a portion of Andrew’s settlement, taking it from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, the same estate with which she pays Andrew his $323,000 annual salary.
As we learned yesterday, Prince Andrew was finally made to see the light of reason, and, without acknowledging guilt or his favorite toppings at Pizza Express, agreed to a settlement of an undisclosed amount in order to have Virginia’s civil suit accusing him of sexually abusing her as a minor on three occasions dismissed. While we may not ever learn the details of the settlement, we do know that Prince Andrew’s new job as Britain’s #1 avenger against the evils of sex trafficking, can’t have come cheap. But reports estimate the sum to be somewhere between $12 million and £12 million (around $16 million). And though THE QUEEN is an avowed animal lover, she’d apparently choke a horse with couch diamonds if she had to. She’d do anything for her baby boy. According to NYP:
Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre have reached a settlement in her sex abuse lawsuit against him — sparing potentially embarrassing details about the embattled royal from ever being made public.
The sum of the settlement will not be publicly disclosed, according to papers filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. But a source told The Post estimated total is $12 million.
Giuffre and Prince Andrew will file a stipulation to dismiss the case within the next month, according to the court papers, which were filed jointly by both parties.
It’s unclear how Andrew will pay for the undisclosed settlement — but the Telegraph said the Queen will fund part of it from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate.
I feel sorry for THE QUEEN, I really do. I’m sure she didn’t plan to celebrate her upcoming Platinum Jubilee by having to smelt down all the Royal platinum to help pay for Andrew’s proclivities. The Daily Mail reports that Andrew’s finances have come under more scrutiny than ever before and British taxpayers would like to know how “Airmiles Andy” can afford his “lifestyle of jetset holidays and luxury properties,” including the Swiss chalet he recently put on the market. It was previously reported that a buyer had been found, but apparently, you might be able to go on Zillow right now and see a listing for a haunted ski chalet at a reduced price because the Jeffrey Epstein memorial hot tub and sauna had to be condemned.
One source of Andrew’s income may be the sale of Sunninghill Park, the 12-bedroom country house near Windsor which was a wedding gift from the Queen. The property went unsold for five years before it was bought in 2007 for £15 million – £3million over the asking price – by Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of Andrew’s friend Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s ex-autocratic ruler.
Andrew now lives at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, the former home of the Queen Mother, on a preferential but undisclosed 100-year lease from the Crown Estate. He and his ex-wife Sarah share the sprawling Grade II-listed house but could move out to minimise costs, although it would not bring them any extra income.
The Yorks bought an £18million ski chalet in the Swiss resort of Verbier in 2014 but put it on the market following a legal dispute with its former owner. French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre took legal action after a final £5 million instalment on Chalet Helora was not paid, but said the debt was settled last year, clearing the way for it to be sold. It was put on the market for around £18million, but it was not clear how much of the £13million mortgage remains and a sale has not yet been completed. In any event, he is likely to have to split any windfall with his ex-wife Sarah.
Oh, no need to worry about The Original Fergie. She’s got her own. Her semi-autobiographical historical romance novel, Her Heart For A Compass is about to come out in paperback.
I wonder if she’ll add an epilogue so she can include this latest chapter of her real-life “fairy-tale” with Prince Andrew. But if we want a truthful telling of this tale, we’ll just have to wait and see if Virginia ever decides to write a book. Which, according to The Independent, she’s within her rights to do since she did not sign an NDA as part of their agreement. Hopefully, her book will end with the words “Reader, I buried him.”
Pic: INSTAR