I’m sounding like a broken record on this, but Prince Andrew should have settled with Virginia Giuffre months ago. Virginia’s lawyer David Boies even said as much last year, that Virginia only filed the civil suit against Andrew because he wouldn’t come to the negotiation table and settle with her and/or give her an apology. Andrew’s lawyers blew off Virginia for years as she sought justice and answers. And now here we are, with Judge Kaplan likely to rule that Virginia’s lawsuit should not be dismissed, that it should go to trial this year. Andrew thought he could ignore the issue and it would go away. Now he’s in a weaker position legally, and if he wants to settle, he’ll probably have to pay out even more than if he offered Virginia a settlement a year ago. So… big surprise, as it appears as if the case is going to trial, suddenly the galaxy brains in Windsor are very interested in settling this situation out of court. From Becky English at the Daily Mail:

Prince Andrew could settle out of court with his US sex-case accuser if a judge rules that the case should go to trial. Insiders say the option ‘remains on the table’ if, as expected, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejects his legal team’s motion this week to have Virginia Roberts’ lawsuit dismissed at an early stage.

Andrew’s team are understood to acknowledge the ‘attritional impact’ the case is having on the Royal Family, particularly as the Queen, 95, is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee this June with the threat of a scandalous sex trial involving her son hanging over her.

‘Obviously, this is a US case involving US lawyers and involving a US civil lawsuit,’ one source said. ‘In reality, 99 per cent of US civil litigations are settled out of court. A settlement would always be an option on the table, as that’s where the vast majority end up. There is also the wider pressure and attritional impact to consider.’

Sources with knowledge of the case stressed last night to the Daily Mail that no discussions have taken place yet about whether the Queen’s son could – or should – agree a settlement without liability being admitted. But neither had it been ruled out as an option, they said. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment, describing it as an ‘ongoing legal matter.’

On the one hand agreeing a no-liability settlement would prevent Andrew going through the humiliating experience of being interviewed by Miss Roberts’ lawyers, who will be able to question him about everything from his sexual partners to the minutiae of his dealings with Epstein and with Maxwell, found guilty last month of sex trafficking. They may seek answers from other family members, including his ex-wife Sarah and potentially other senior royals.

But a settlement would clearly do little to help the 61-year-old prince clear his name, as he says he desperately wants to do. A settlement would also not prevent the FBI from pursuing its investigation – its agents would like to speak to Andrew as a potential witness to Epstein’s crimes.

[From The Daily Mail]

Truly, is there any better example of the monarchy’s short-sightedness and stupidity than the Andrew Situation? Did no one at the palace brain trust understand that Andrew should have settled out of court – before Virginia filed her lawsuit – last year or even years before that? There would have been tremendous backlash if they had settled a year ago, but they would have been in a much better position to ask for a gag order. Now Virginia holds all of the cards, if the judge rules the way we’re expecting. So now it’s a choice between having all of Andrew’s sordid history dragged out in open court OR Andrew admitting defeat on Virginia’s terms entirely.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.