Will The Queen Pay For Son Prince Andrew's Sex Abuse Settlement?

Disgraced British royal and third child of the Queen, Prince Andrew, has settled a lawsuit that potentially runs into millions of pounds with an American woman who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a minor. The out-of-court settlement, confirmed by the woman's lawyer Tuesday, means Andrew has not made an admission of guilt in the case.

Reports have surfaced suggesting that the Queen is likely to foot the bill through one of her private estates. The controversy has prompted growing calls for the royal family to strip Andrew of his Duke of York title. Last month, the Queen stripped him of his royal patronages but he retained his title that is granted to the second son of the British monarch.

Andrew has repeatedly denied allegations of sex abuse. He has not been criminally charged by law.

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A connection between Andrew and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, first emerged in 2011 through BBC reports. Court documents related to Epstein's case in Florida, in 2014, revealed the names of Andrew as well as a former Prime Minister in reference to illegal sexual activities with a minor girl who was trafficked by Epstein.

A picture purportedly showing Andrew, his accuser, as well as Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, has been in wide circulation online for a decade.

At the time, Buckingham Palace denied allegations of sex abuse against Andrew.

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A statement, accompanying the US district court filing on the settlement, as quoted by the BBC reads that Andrew would make a "substantial donation" to the accuser's charity dedicated to survivors of sex assault crimes. The woman, an activist and campaigner, is the founder of the nonprofit Victims Refuse Silence.

Andrew further recognised that the woman "suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks" and commended her bravery, and those of other survivors, "in standing up for themselves."