I spend too much time thinking about Prince Andrew’s shady finances. He’s either broke or secretly flush with cash and nothing in between. I still want to know why his finances suddenly went belly-up just after Jeffrey Epstein’s mysterious death in 2019. I still want to know how Andrew was able to make millions of dollars in mortgage payments on his Swiss ski chalet… until he wasn’t able in 2019. I want to know where he got the £6.7 million to pay off his debt on the Swiss chalet last November. And I would very much like to know who has purchased the ski chalet. I suspect that “the Queen paid for all of it” is probably the most likely explanation, but shouldn’t we know for sure? Anyway, it was believed that Andrew was selling off the chalet to pay for his own legal bills AND to use the money to offer a settlement to Virginia Giuffre. Now American lawyers are wondering if Andrew is actually just trying to avoid a seizure of his assets:
Prince Andrew may be selling his £18million ski chalet to protect his assets rather than pay off his sex abuse accuser, US lawyers have said. Earlier this month, sources close to the Duke confirmed that the sale of the property in the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Verbier is ‘proceeding’ after a mystery buyer agreed to take it off his hands.
Andrew was only able to sell the residence, called Chalet Helora, after settling a £6.6million debt to French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, who sold it to him and Sarah Ferguson in 2014 also for £18million. The deal led to speculation that he would use the money to pay his legal bills as he faces a lawsuit from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked to have sex with him by paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
But Spencer Kuvin, who represented the victims of Epstein, believes the sale could actually be designed to prevent Giuffre from seizing the Duke’s assets. The lawyer told the Mirror: ‘If Virginia gets a judgment against Andrew, if this went all the way through to trial and she received a financial judgment in her favour, she could execute on any properties he has, the most likely being his ski chalet. If Andrew had properties in any companion country that would abide by such jurisdiction of the US, she can execute on those properties.’
He added: ‘If the Queen has transferred any property to him, anywhere throughout the entire world, they could try and execute on that property if successful in foreign courts.’
This is technically true, that if Virginia Giuffre gets a judgment against Andrew, she could conceivably pursue Andrew in the British courts to get his money and property. The theory being made by Spencer Kuvin is that Andrew is currently trying to avoid the seizure of his assets somewhere down the line, like a year from now, two years from now, and that Andrew would rather ignore the trial, the judgment and any American court ordering him to pay up. That Andrew would hide behind castle walls and refuse to participate in any proceedings from here on out. And I just don’t think he would “get away” with that at this point. The bigger concern – as I see it – is that Andrew actually has more assets than we know about, and that he’s hiding those assets behind a complex, archaic royal web to better insulate himself and the Queen.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red
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- Virginia Roberts talks about how she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and allegedly had sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 on 'Panorama, The Prince and the Epstein Scandal'. Broadcast on BBC One,Image: 486024846, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WENN does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright, License in attached material. Fees charged by WENN are for WENN's services only, do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright, License in material. By publishing this material you expressly agree to indemnify, to hold WENN, its directors, shareholders, employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), any causes of action, allegation against WENN arising out of, connected in any way with publication of the material., Model Release: no, Pictured: Virginia Roberts,Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Credit line: – / Wenn / Avalon
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- The Duke of York visiting the IKEA and Tom Dixon Gardening Will Save The World Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.,Image: 512145706, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of York during a ceremonial presentation of the Guidon to the Royal Lancers at Windsor Castle, in Berkshire.,Image: 512772184, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 138925, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson arrive together at Royal Ascot. Day 4 of Royal Ascot. Picture by Ben Stevens / i-ImagesUK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, SPAIN & ITALY OUT Photograph: © i-Images, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office: +1 310.822.0419 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 533485865, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- The Duke of York attends the Sunday service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, following the announcement on Friday April 9, of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh at the age of 99. Picture date: Sunday April 11, 2021. Prince Philip, was the longest-serving consort in British history.,Image: 604743237, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- The Duke of York during a television interview at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor, following the announcement on Friday April 9, of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh at the age of 99. Picture date: Sunday April 11, 2021. Prince Philip, was the longest-serving consort in British history.,Image: 604743242, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
As a Canadian, anytime I read about the Swiss chalet, I immediately think we are discussing the chicken restaurant!
HA!! Me too.
mmmm chalet sauce
From New York here – There’s a local Bar called that and it’s always the first thing I think of….especially all the nights I can’t remember LOL
How hilarious would it be if this dummkopf and his mess led to an honest to goodness investigation of the Queen’s finances?
Because I believe that mommy both got him the money for the chalet purchase (maybe not directly, the rf might have asked for a loan as a favour) and arranged a buyer to ensure he will have no assets to go after.
The timing is everything, it seems like the palace *just* woke up to how bad this really is for them and are scrambling.
I’m confused by this. The cash he’d receive from the sale is still an asset, unless they’re saying he would then move the cash to some location than Virginia couldn’t reach. Is there a way that the court could prohibit him from moving assets until the case has been resolved?
That’s what I’ve been speculating since we heard he was trying to sell — that he would take any profits and hide them. It’s harder to “hide” real estate. The profits would mysteriously disappear and Andrew would claim to be broke.
He’ll “have” to pay off his “lawyers” after the court case. Yep, yep, totally broke now…
Sorry Jay, I was trying to post a comment on my phone and it ended up under your post.
“unless they’re saying he would then move the cash to some location than Virginia couldn’t reach.”
that is exactly what they’re saying.
Does anyone think that if he lets this go all the way to trial, his defense will be, “one picture does not imply sex with a trafficked victim. If that’s all you’ve got, we’re going home.” His attorney believes he will be exonerated, unless her team can come up with something beyond a reasonable doubt. I really fear he could walk free, then counter sue . I am a worse case scenario type person, I know. I worry about Virginia and all the others who could be discredited if this happens.
You don’t need beyond a reasonable doubt for civil suits; the standard is “preponderance of evidence” which is essentially more than 50% likely.
Well, apparently, the fool has “demanded” a jury trial, so we shall see what happens.
The Guardian are challenging the decision to keep Prince Phillips will private for 90 years. If either parent has left PA a fortune they won’t want that being disclosed especially now. Officially PA only known income is modest 20,000 annual pension from the royal navy. His lavish lifestyle and that of Fergianna indicates Mommy is still funding him. 61 is a tad old to be dependent on pocket money from mom me thinks. Maybe PA should write his own memoirs to raise some cash? Dear Fergs has written a couple of her own after all! LOL!
And isn’t it interesting that despite this pretty modest pension, he purchased or was given a loan to purchase this multimillion chalet? That alone stinks, doesn’t it? And someone with more knowledge can tell me, but I thought money left to the non-heir was taxable? Anyway, he bought the chalet with mommy’s money, and perhaps we will learn that it sold at a loss to a mysterious buyer; too bad, the market is unpredictable, well, guess he won’t have any tangible assets going forward.
I think the only possible silver lining in all of this is that Andrew, the most pompous of men who loves to pretend he’s a high roller, will have to claim in court that he doesn’t have any means of his own.
Money left to the non-heir is taxable. Money set up in trusts a certain period of time before someone dies is not taxable (so if the Queen set up a trust for Andrew and/or his daughters 15 or 20 years ago, that can’t be touched when she dies.) This is supposedly what the QM did for her great-grandchild (although Harry has said that he did not receive any money from her.)
but if he paid off the chalet with his mother’s money and then sold it, that money isn’t hers anymore.
@Lady Digby – It’s a little convoluted, but from what I can tell, it sounds like the Guardian is arguing that the hearing to consider keeping Philip’s will private for 90 years was itself (improperly) kept private, that media weren’t informed about said hearing, and thus had no opportunity to contest the decision about that being kept private. So it’s a step before being able to contest the decision over the will itself; they’re saying the hearing itself should have been open. A court of appeals judge has agreed their case can go forward.
“There is a real prospect of the applicant [the Guardian] succeeding on the ground that the high court erred in law in denying the media an opportunity to make submissions, or at least to attend and hear submissions, as to whether the substantive application to seal the will of His Late Royal Highness…should be heard in private.”
In other words, not only was Philip’s will kept private, but the hearing to consider that issue was also private. This is a RF privilege; for your normal John and Jane, the law dictates wills to be made public after death.
Yeah I am sure he has more assets than we know about and I’m sure there is desperate scrambling to hide all those assets. I think we all know that the Queen paid off the chalet, so wonder if the thinking is he will use that money for the defense/settlement and then get to keep all his other hidden assets.
He absolutely is selling, accruing cash and stockpiling in various ‘untraceable’ locations. He’s following advice from the unscrupulous people in his orbit. Make no mistake, he has plenty of help.
But he’s going to have money from the sale of the ski chalet so if he’s selling the place avoid the seizure of assets he’s either stupid or being poorly advised.
In the country that I practice law, any act of concealment, transfer or withdrawal of property to defeat the just claims anyone may have over it, including to avoid seizure, is criminal fraud and punishable by imprisonment. I’m sure Virginia’s lawyers will check Swiss law and English law for a similar provision to void the transfer, if possible or follow the money trail. This could be her lawyers firing a warning shot to Andrew. The arms of justice are very long and I hope they find Andrew.
Yes, and it’s the same when a couple files for divorce. The courts can prevent one party liquidating assets and hiding them from the other spouse.
Andrew is a big time loser scumbag but they are worried about Harry? Smh.
I know. A long lengthy history of Pedrews people that plundered, stole and stripped all previous Natives of their democracy, independence and valuable assets within their lands and he is cowering under his Mums skirt for protection and money. Pedrew is just a small sampling of how unethical and notorious his long family history has of stealing and hiding all of their assets. Never mind that some of the most precious stones known to man are sitting on the crown that TQ loves to wear, as it was by divine intervention of God for her to rule. This entire family has a history of denying the rights of so many people through history will their ill-gotten gains and the many ways in which they hide these facts.
I think that Pedrew should be their last warning that the actions of the entire BRF, and their co-conspirators should start paying attention that their so-called anointed by God is tarnished and is on the decline. Pedrew is actively destroying what little respect that they command across the world.
I’m so curious about this, especially the “mystery buyer.”
I think Andrew is being advised to “spend down” the proceeds from the sale on legal fees. That way, it doesn’t look like the Queen is paying for his defense. Plus, if he spends it all dragging this whole thing out (which I think is the plan), then by the time Virginia gets a judgment, Andrew will have little or no money left to his name. And a judgment against him won’t be enforceable against the Queen’s assets.
Well, since he’s already hiding from the FBI behind mummy’s skirts, you can bet he’s going to hide his assets. The whole family should have its finances investigated. Remember the Panama Papers?
So in hiding assets, which has been done forever by the rich, there are expert, genius lawyers, accountants, etc. who weave convoluted webs and trails and then try to expunge the path to the assets and make actually getting the assets, if you find them, as insoluble a problem as any metaphysical one known humans. That bastard. Fortunately, there are expert, genius lawyers, accountants, etc. who actually do go after the money trails and find them. This is all complicated by international laws, etc. I think it would help Andrew re-think his strategy if Virginia’s representatives have dirt on Andrew that would be explosive and highly damaging to him and the royal family. Only then might Andrew realize the error of his ways and pay up. This is called mucking in the mire and every crime family knows exactly what this means. Usually it is a timely, expensive, ruthless, bloody trek. Ugh.
Obviously, they already have dirt on Andrew (his crimes against Virginia), but I meant more dirt and evidence to scare the shit out of him. I truly hate Andrew. He is the worst of the worst.
Why would the ski chalet not be sold to the daughters, each of whom married a wealthy man?
It is my understanding that Andrew and his family rented this chalet for years prior to purchasing it. Also that the 74 year old former owner was trusting enough of Andrew that she financed it to him. When he later defaulted on the loan, she had to take him to court to get paid. Such a fine, upstanding guy!
I’ve often wondered why Andrew never legally remarried Fergie. Perhaps this is why – he can use her to hide assets. As long as she can stay out of the bankruptcy courts, of course.
I think both Andrew and Fergie are well-practiced, long-term grifters. And maybe they all are, I don’t know, But Harry had something in mind when he made his statements about “seeing behind the curtain” and not liking what he saw, not wanting anything to do with it.