Royal Embarrassment: Senior Palace Members To Testify in Prince Andrew vs. Virginia Giuffre Case?
After being sued by Virginia Giuffre, who claims he sexually abused her when she was 17, Prince Andrew is dragging other members of the royal family along with him.
The Duke of York's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their oldest daughter Princess Beatrice, according to a royal biographer, might be among the witnesses in the legal dispute with the accuser.
Virginia's lawyer, according to Angelina Levin, has already stated that the Duchess of York and their kids, including Princess Beatrice, may be served with subpoenas, but that obtaining jurisdiction over them as British citizens will be difficult.
She told talkRADIO, "If the case goes ahead, one, it's not going to be heard until the autumn and secondly, it will involve Beatrice being brought to court and all sorts of other family members."
She went on to say, "He said he was having a pizza and couldn't have gone with Virginia to a nightclub, and you have to prove this and then have to get his own family there to support him."
Angela also said, "I think for a senior royal to rely on a technical couple of words in a court case looks absolutely appalling."
Virginia's lawyer claims that they will take one or two depositions from those close to Prince Andrew who have knowledge of his acts. It's possible that this includes his ex-wife, as well as Prince Charles and Prince Edward.
When asked if Queen Elizabeth II will be called to testify, Virginia's counsel responded no.
He cited "respect and reverence," as well as her age, as reasons for declining to take a deposition with her, saying, "I don't think she is going to have any knowledge that other people don't have."
Prince Andrew Case Hearing
After the last hearing in New York, a US court will soon rule whether a civil sex assault complaint against Prince Andrew will be dismissed, according to the BBC.
The Duke of York has refuted all of the charges since the crisis began.
Virginia Giuffre's main claim is that Jeffrey Epstein forced her to participate in sexual abuse and exploitation, including occasions in which she was required to engage in sexual behavior with royals in New York, London, and the US Virgin Islands.
Epstein paid Virginia $500,000 to resolve a claim for damages and promised not to initiate any future claims against any possible defendants, according to a 2009 settlement agreement unsealed Wednesday.
