Prince Andrew’s legal woes have been on full display ever since a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her as a teen and filed a lawsuit against him in an American court. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, recently approved the decision to strip Andrew of his HRH (His Royal Highness) status as well as his other royal and military titles, signaling that he will be standing on his own in the case without the support of the throne. Though he’s lost quite a lot, there are a few things he won’t lose even if his upcoming court case doesn’t go his way.
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Prince Andrew’s Lawsuit Will See Its Day In Court
Though he attempted to have the case thrown out, Prince Andrew will still need to address the lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Roberts Giuffre after a judge dismissed his request. Giuffre is accusing the prince of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager as part of the sex trafficking ring led by the deceased Jeffrey Epstein and the imprisoned socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
According to anonymous sources who spoke with the New York Post, via PageSix, Andrew is reportedly hoping that the lawsuit will be settled, which is why he’s been freeing up his assets, including settling debts and selling off his Swiss chalet for an estimated $23.7 million. Palace sources told the Post settling the suit would be the “least worst option” for Andrew.
What Will Happen To The Royal Lodge?
Worse comes to worst, however, Andrew won’t be left homeless. In fact, he’ll be able to continue living in his 30-room home, the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park that he shares with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Though the home is believed to be worth $40 million (£30 million) on the open market, Andrew signed a 75-year lease in 2003 for a one-off fee of $1.4 million (£1 million) paid to the Crown Estate. That’s about $339 (£250) a week in rent.
The Crown Estate is a complicated organization that is, essentially, a multimillion-dollar property portfolio owned by the sovereign, currently Queen Elizabeth, though she’s not involved in management decisions. Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine explained, “Andrew certainly won’t be made homeless. The lease has been granted.”
Possible Thrown Out Of Line Of Succession?
His home isn’t the only thing Andrew won’t lose even if the lawsuit is decided against him. He has lost his HRH styling, but Andrew will remain ninth in the line of succession for the British Throne. Asked if Andrew could be removed from the line, Little replied, “Given that he’s gone from second [after older brother Prince Charles] to ninth, this would serve no purpose.” Basically, his spot in line is irrelevant with so many in front of him.
The former royal editor of the Sun concurred, adding, “It’s unlikely to happen, ever, because Andrew would be able to argue you can’t just cut him out of the family as it were, like a will.” He added, however, that there are still some things the disgraced princess stands to lose.
Possible Punishments Ahead
“The Queen has done virtually everything that she can do now, but there is one thing left — stripping him of the title of Duke of York and Prince. That would be the ultimate humiliation.” In fact, it’s entirely within the realm of possibility, Larcombe continued, that “the Queen could look at that and make him just ‘Andrew.’”
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