Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages amid his court battle with Virginia Guiffre, but titles aren’t the only things he could lose. The prince is afraid his mounting legal expenses will leave him “completely broke.”
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Prince Andrew ‘Fears Complete Financial Ruin’
“Until very recently it appears the absolute enormity of this case and the consequences he faces has not hit him,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Now the bills are mounting up and the possibility of a settlement, or even worse a judgment against him, is being widely discussed; he fears complete financial ruin.”
Andrew is being accused of sexual assault by Guiffre, who claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York three times, starting when she was 17 years old. Their meet-ups were orchestrated by sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has denied all allegations against him.
The prince’s legal fees could reach $3 million — and that’s before a settlement. If he and Guiffre manage to settle out of court, Andrew could pay as much as $13.6 million. He recently settled an $8.9 million debt with French socialite Isabelle de Rouvre, who sold a Swiss chalet to the prince and then-wife Sarah Ferguson. Andrew has allegedly already sold the chalet in order to pay his legal fees.
“Andrew thought, indeed he was advised, that this would all go away in time, and neither has happened, leaving him facing an extraordinary uphill battle to even salvage any crumb of his reputation,” a source told the Mirror.
Andrew Won’t Be Getting Any Help From The Royal Family
The prince will not be getting any help from the royal family when it comes to his legal fees. According to reports, the queen will “not assist” her son financially, leaving Andrew to fight the allegations as a private citizen.
She’s not the only one who’s leaving Andrew out in the cold. Prince Charles and Prince William are reportedly “furious” with Andrew over the scandal. While Queen Elizabeth will not help Andrew with his legal fees, she has agreed to continue paying for his security detail. According to the Mirror, this bill is more than $410,000 a year.
Sources close to the prince say he will “continue to fight to clear his name. It is believed his legal team will argue that the case cannot be held in US courts because Guiffre has lived in Australia since 2002. If the case moves forward, the trial is expected to take place between September and December.
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