PRINCE Andrew views his settlement with Virginia Giuffre as a way BACK in with the royals, an expert has claimed.
Yesterday’s out-of-court agreement means Andrew won’t be publicly and embarrassingly grilled over claims he raped and abused Ms Giuffre when she was 17.
Her lawsuit saw him stripped of his royal title, all military honours and patronages after a face-to-face showdown with the Queen in January.
But now, the Duke of York sees his settlement as a way to regain his former roles – and he hopes to take on a few “quiet patronages”.
Royal expert Adam Helliker claims the settlement – which has “spared the Queen the gruelling details” of her son’s relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – “play’s into Andrew’s hands”.
Mr Helliker told the Sun: “Andrew envisages a way back.
“I think he will see this as a kind of way to give it a year and take on a few quiet patronages.
“In English law it would have been seen by everyone else as: ‘If he really is innocent then why didn’t he go to America to fight it’.”
Andrew’s military affiliations and royal patronages were returned to the Queen with immediate effect in January after he was accused of sexually assaulting Ms Giuffre.
The move also barred him from using ‘His Royal Highness’.
It was yesterday suggested that the Royal Family are “bracing for a tell-all book” by Ms Giuffre after it emerged she DIDN’T sign an NDA.
The pair settled their differences out of court for an undisclosed sum of money – which has been speculated to be up to £12million.
Settling has avoided a gruelling legal clash which could have probed several claims – including that Andrew could not sweat.
But Miss Giuffre’s lawyer told The Celeb Report that there is no NDA in place – meaning she could speak out no-detail spared at any point.
The bombshell settlement comes as:
- Virginia and Andrew were both facing depositions under oath in coming weeks
- The Palace remains silent on Andrew’s settlement
- Virginia was reported to have “lost” the infamous original photo of her with Andrew
- The Duke’s lawyers were hunting for women who could “discredit” Virginia
- Andrew’s mysterious wealth came under the spotlight as he lived a millionaire party lifestyle
- Prince Charles banished Andrew from Windsor and told him to “stay out of sight“
- Andrew’s former physio slammed the Duke as “creepy” as he would get naked for massages
Royal expert Angela Levin said a “tell-all book” from Miss Guiffre could make the humiliating case “drag on and on” for the Royals.
She told the Sun: “Apparently Virginia is allowed to write a book about herself – or broadcast about herself as she sees fit.
“So if that’s the case it could drag on and on.
“We don’t know when she will do that, we don’t know when it might be broadcast.
“The sort of smell will stay with Andrew and the Royal Family. There’s no clean-cut end.”
Details of the duke’s settlement emerged in a letter filed to the US district court in New York yesterday.
Court documents show Andrew will make a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”.
Andrew has also pledged to “demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein” by supporting the “fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”
