Virginia Guiffre and Andrew settle out of court

[Suzanne999]

From Metro
Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre have reached a ‘settlement in principle’ in the civil sex claim filed in the US, court documents show

Does this show his guilt? Water down in some way his actions? I’m sure some will say this proves she was only in it for the money. I think she and a lot of underage girls were abused but because of the wealth involved those guilty will never face justice. Can’t understand why I feel sad about this outcome.

Why didn't they ask Ghislaine Maxwell if she had a copy of the now famous photo or the person who took , it if it was so pivotal to the case ?
I did think that Ms Guiffre would have her day in court , so I am surprised she has decided to go down this route to be honest.

She, while undeniably a victim, is not 100% squeaky clean either and the 'lost photo' is very telling.

Oh right you need your victims to be ‘squeaky clean’.

The lost photo tell you nothing. It’s surprising it survived as long as it did.

Here’s what the photographer who first copied it in 2011 said:

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/no-way-photo-of-prince-andrew-with-arm-around-accuser-virginia-giuffre-is-fake-photographer-who-copied-image-says-a4302716.html

@Classica

Mummy got her cheque book out.

AKA the British tax payer ?

am not a photographer but again from the other thread another poster shared this on fake/not fake

www.becomeabetterphotographer.co.uk/prince-andrew-and-virginia-roberts-giuffre-photo/

@Newnamefor2022

I don't think either of them emerge from this looking good. She seems to have been all about the money and he sounds horrible and rather pathetic.

So what? If I'd been trafficked I might think a pay out would at least represent some sort of compensation.

Every time this comes up on Mumsnet I think people get confused about what this was and wasn't

This was NOT a criminal trial.
90%+ Civil trials in the US end in settlement.
PA was NOT going to be "held accountable" for anything, it would have been money only even if it went to trial and he lost.
VG was always just after money (and had previously accepted money rather than bring Epstein to justice, which is arguably worse!).

And that's before you get to the fact the photo was faked (almost certain as the original is "lost").

Then a variety of evidence pointing to the fact VG herself has trafficked minors. (Some of you perhaps need to read up on what actually happened - in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial there was evidence that there was a pyramid system of people bringing young girls to Epstein. VG herself wasn't part of the GM trial as the criminal evidence required doesn't stack up with her.

I've never liked PA, he's entitled, grasping and just the right amount of dim to continue to court Epstein after he was convicted of CSA (probably in debt to Epstein).

If it did happen it's distasteful, but none of it (believe it or not) is criminal. VG was over the age of consent and the people to convict are Epstein and GM. PA is "just" at best a complete bloody idiot and at worst a slimy middle aged douche.

PA's "career" / position is destroyed though is own idiocy and he will retire out of the limelight (and probably remarry Sarah!).

Can't say I'm surprised. He was never going to stand up in the witness box and undergo cross examination.

Some of the posts on here are a hard read. Women saying that the photo was most likely faked, but you have zero evidence for that. Internalised misogyny is real.

Civil cases are always settled by payments - they don't have the power to do anything else. PA and his bully boy lawyers tried to besmirch and intimidate her - she got the maximum out of him she could in terms of his statements. And his statement has basically said she is brave and did not mean to malign her. I.e. sorry I said she was lying.

As for the photo, I dont have originals of all my photos from earlier life. Maybe at age 17 she did not know anyone would ever care or stand up for her rights against a bunch of very powerful people.

@knittingaddict

Some of the posts on here are a hard read. Women saying that the photo was most likely faked, but you have zero evidence for that. Internalised misogyny is real.

I agree. I'll bet if it was their 17 year old dd who got raped by him they wouldn't be saying she was of age

[quote myrtleWilson]am not a photographer but again from the other thread another poster shared this on fake/not fake

www.becomeabetterphotographer.co.uk/prince-andrew-and-virginia-roberts-giuffre-photo/[/quote]
Interesting.

Totally predictable but disappointing.
Both of them were posturing that they wanted their day in court but in reality it all comes down to money....
Press are always reporting Prince Andrew has no money ,so either the Queen or a wealthy friend has paid Virginia off, although it does sound like money is going to her charity and not her personally.

@Classica

Mummy got her cheque book out.

It was made very clear months ago that the Queen was not going to bale him out hence his need to sell his Austrian ski chalet to raise money.

@knittingaddict

Some of the posts on here are a hard read. Women saying that the photo was most likely faked, but you have zero evidence for that. Internalised misogyny is real.

Not sure that questioning evidence in a legal case is necessarily misogyny just because the claimant is female? Neither does bringing a legal action against someone definitively make them a victim. The legal action is there to establish whether any wrongdoing occurred. The fact of the legal action does not prove the wrongdoing.

@Runnerduck34

Totally predictable but disappointing. Both of them were posturing that they wanted their day in court but in reality it all comes down to money.... Press are always reporting Prince Andrew has no money ,so either the Queen or a wealthy friend has paid Virginia off, although it does sound like money is going to her charity and not her personally.

You've forgotten about the sale of the ski chalet for several million.

I think someone finally got it into Andrew’s dense skull that he was so enmeshed with GM & JE the amount of dirt that would be slung at him in court would be disastrous win or lose.

In the English courts there are some situations where turning down a settlement can cause you problems if the court awards you less. It’s possible the same exists in the US.

I thought the photo was with the FBI

she got the maximum out of him she could in terms of his statements. And his statement has basically said she is brave and did not mean to malign her. I.e. sorry I said she was lying.

This means more than the money. This is the bit people should hold on to.

I'll bet if it was their 17 year old dd who got raped by him they wouldn't be saying she was of age

Absolutely

@Classica

Mummy got her cheque book out.

Mummy doesn't actually have a terribly big cheque book. Almost everything she has belongs to the Crown (and as such the nation) and not to her personally.

[quote JinglingHellsBells]@Classica

Mummy got her cheque book out.

It was made very clear months ago that the Queen was not going to bale him out hence his need to sell his Austrian ski chalet to raise money.[/quote]
Selling the chalet was to clear the massive debts on the chalet so that he could raise money elsewhere. I'm assuming mummy got the cheque book out as she has for Andrew on countless previous occasions, possibly this time with persuasion from Charles to make the whole thing go away as quickly as possible.

Itsnotover, hasn't she already had $5 mill in compensation?

[quote JinglingHellsBells]@Classica

Mummy got her cheque book out.

It was made very clear months ago that the Queen was not going to bale him out hence his need to sell his Austrian ski chalet to raise money.[/quote]
That was certainly a story that was circulated. They'd never circulate false stories.

@HelloFrostyMorning it's WEIRDLY invested to care about victims of trafficking?

Good to know your position, I guess.

@mydogisthebest

I don't see that him settling means he is guilty.

How strange that she has lost the photo. You would bloody guard that photo with your life.

I was never sure I believe her and, even if she had been telling the truth, she was not underage. Now I think she almost definitely was lying

That's quite sad to read. Especially having watched the many prog on TV about Epstein and how so many staffers came forward exposing him and Maxwell. The groundsman on the island even pointed out Virginia being with Andrew half naked at the pool.

This could be a case where she has been 'told' to say the the photo was 'lost'. And she would then receive the settlement and she could save face by saying she'd no photo. It only broke this morning that the photo maybe lost, then suddenly this afternoon the settlement is announced.

Whatever we all think, these people were groomed, they were sold to many high profile people. Unfortunately if they are not held accountable then it will continue.

@ClariceQuiff

He's bought his way out of a trial. One rule for the rich ...

It was a civil case so it was always going to be about money.

She didn't have to settle, but for whatever reason chose to do so.

@VanCleefArpels Are you Princess Beatrice