King Charles III is reported to have not contributed to the £12 million settlement made by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in a case brought against him by a victim of Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace has moved to clarify that Charles did not provide £1.5 million towards the total payout to Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre accused Andrew of engaging in sexual activities with her when she was 17 years old after being brought to London by Epstein.
Andrew, who maintains his innocence and claims no recollection of meeting Giuffre, agreed to pay an undisclosed sum, which was reported to be $15 million at the time, to settle a civil lawsuit in 2022. Recent reports suggested that Andrew received a loan of £12 million from members of the Royal Family, including Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth II. However, a source close to Charles has refuted claims that he contributed £1.5 million to the settlement.
The Sun’s report indicated that the late Queen provided around £7 million as a loan, while an additional £3 million came from the estate of Andrew’s father, Prince Philip. The publication quoted a source stating that the Royal Family supported Andrew’s settlement with Giuffre, despite the late Queen being deeply affected by the scandal.
Giuffre tragically passed away by suicide in Western Australia at the age of 41 without leaving a will, sparking a legal battle over her speculated £16 million worth of assets. Details regarding the exact amount paid and the funding source for Andrew’s settlement remain undisclosed by the palace.
Until recently, King Charles III was providing Andrew with a substantial allowance to cover his expenses, including an estimated annual security cost of £3 million following the withdrawal of his police protection by the Home Office.
Amidst allegations that Andrew shared confidential reports with Epstein, there has been mounting pressure for him to address these accusations before the police and Parliament. King Charles III has expressed deep concern over the misconduct allegations against Andrew, with Buckingham Palace stating its willingness to assist the authorities if required.
Thames Valley Police have engaged in discussions with specialists from the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the matter but have not confirmed the initiation of a criminal investigation. Labour’s Sarah Owen and other MPs are seeking further information on the disclosure of documents related to Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the US ambassador in Parliament. The ongoing crisis involving the monarchy and Westminster shows no signs of abating as US authorities continue to release information from the Epstein files.
