What Prince Andrew's Settlement With Virginia Giuffre Means For His Royal Status: Report

Prince Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre in her sexual assault lawsuit against the royal, but he is unlikely to return to doing public work representing the royal family in the future.

Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal patronages and military titles by Queen Elizabeth II back in January, and the settlement of the lawsuit is unlikely to change the monarch's decision, People reported. Though he remains a member of the British royal family, the Duke of York, 61, will not get back his military affiliations and patronages, according to the outlet.

An unnamed royal source told People that the decision was "widely discussed" within the senior ranks of the royal family. This may have meant talks between Queen Elizabeth, her eldest son and the heir to the British throne Prince Charles and Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, the outlet noted.

Following the settlement, Prince Andrew will likely retain his title as the Duke of York and keep his place in the line of succession to the throne. He is currently ninth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's two children Archie, 2, and 8-month-old Lilibet. However, he will no longer be able to use the style "His Royal Highness" in any official capacity.

Moreover, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's father is unlikely to resume his royal duties and take on public work on behalf of the Queen or the royal family going forward. Prince Andrew announced in 2019 that he would step back from public duties "for the foreseeable future" following his bombshell interview with the BBC about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Giuffre alleged that she was trafficked to Prince Andrew when she was 17 by Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

David Boies, Giuffre's lawyer, said in a letter filed to the court obtained by NBC News that Giuffre and Prince Andrew "will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms. Giuffre's receipt of the settlement," the amount of which is not being disclosed.

The statement does not address the question of Prince Andrew's liability.

In documents filed Tuesday, Prince Andrew said he will "demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims."

The duke also said he would make a "substantial" donation to Giuffre’s victims rights group and that he "never intended to malign" her character.

A Buckingham Palace official declined to comment on the settlement, saying, "It is a matter for the Duke and his legal team."

Royal and legal experts, who are not involved in the case, believe that the settlement is good news for the royal family, The Guardian reported.

"This was always the only outcome for the royal family in terms of damage limitation," David McClure, an author on royal finances, tweeted.

Nick Goldstone, a lawyer with the disputes resolution firm Ince, said the settlement was likely a "huge relief" for the royal family. He also suggested that the settlement sum was likely "very generous."

"In terms of 'the court of public opinion,' this looks like an admission of bad conduct on the part of Andrew and I suspect he will remain 'off-stage' from the royal family for the rest of his life," Goldstone was quoted as saying by The Guardian.