Topline
Prince Andrew must answer questions under oath by the middle of July next year in a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault, according to multiple news reports, signaling the judge’s willingness to move the case forward after a month-long dispute over whether the royal had been served the necessary court papers.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said Monday Prince Andrew must be questioned under oath by July 14, 2022, in a civil sex assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre, according to multiple news outlets, the allegations of which Andrew denies.
Kaplan, who serves in the Southern District of New York, said all formal requests for evidence in the suit must be completed on or before that deadline.
The scheduling order was agreed to by lawyers for both Prince Andrew and Giuffre and stipulates no additional parties may join the case after December 15.
The Royal has a deadline of October 29 to formally respond to Giuffre’s suit and a court conference is scheduled for November 3, according to Reuters.
Key Background
Giuffre’s U.S. civil suit makes numerous allegations of sexual assault against Prince Andrew when she was 17 and is seeking unspecified damages. Giuffre first accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse in 2015, connecting the royal to the the late Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier and registered sex offender who died by suicide in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. London police have repeatedly examined Giuffre’s allegations against the Prince but never opened an investigation, reportedly claiming it to be outside its jurisdiction. The force recently reexamined the case but said it would take “no further action” on the case. Prince Andrew has strenuously denied the allegations and stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after stoking widespread public outrage over his supposed friendship with Epstein.
What To Watch For
The deadline could see Prince Andrew’s court case clash with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which are set to mark Elizabeth II’s 70th year since ascending to the throne.
Further Reading
Prince Andrew Sued In U.S. Court By Jeffrey Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre (Forbes)
Jeffrey Epstein’s Dark Façade Finally Cracks (Forbes)
U.S. judge sets deadline for Prince Andrew's testimony in accuser's lawsuit (Reuters)
