Prince Andrew trial to go ahead as victim will give evidence in court
The court case against the duke will take place in the autumn
Last updated 12th Jan 2022
Prince Andrew is to be tried in court over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman when she was underage.
An American judge ruled that the civil lawsuit against the Duke of York launched by Virginia Giuffre could go ahead in court in the autumn.
It is currently unknown whether Prince Andrew will take to the stand in court or appear via video link during the course of the trial.
However, there is speculation that the duke may be encouraged to settle the claims outside of court.
The court case is due to damage both the reputation of the Duke of York, and the monarchy as a whole, as Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein lies at the centre of the case.
In his closing remarks on the ruling, Judge Kaplan said that all appeals from the Prince's legal team were dismissed.
"Given the court's limited task of ruling on this motion, nothing in this opinion or previously in these proceedings properly may be construed as indicating a view with respect to the truth of the charges or countercharges or as to the intention of the parties in entering into the 2009 Agreement."
The ruling comes as a shock to Prince Andrew's legal team, who had argued that the case should be dismissed after it emerged that Ms Giuffre had waived her right to sue the royal after signing a settlement with Epstein.
In addition to the trial, Ms Giuffre will also testify against the duke in court, giving graphic details of what had happened to her.
Ms Giuffre alleges that the Duke of York sexually assaulted her when she was seventeen years old, making her a minor under American law.
She is seeking an undisclosed amount for damages, but there is speculation the sum may be into the millions of dollars.
The royal, son of the Queen, has consistently denied all allegations made against him, with his legal team calling Ms Giuffre's claims 'baseless'.