GB News: Prince Andrew 'wanted to prove his innocence' by going to trial says close friend
LADY VICTORIA HERVEY, a close friend of Prince Andrew's, told GB News host Dan Wootton that it was her opinion the Duke of York's decision to settle out of court may have not been entirely his decision.
Prince Andrew should remain without his titles says expert
When asked by Mr Wootton why the Prince had chosen not to go to trial, Lady Victoria Hervey said he had “wanted to prove his innocence” in court but was facing pressure from his family to settle. She claimed agreeing to the settlement was partly not his decision.
Mr Wootton asked: “Why did your friend Prince Andrew not fight her in court, because surely that was the only way he was ever going to be able to clear his name publicly?”
Lady Hervey told the Kiwi-born presenter there was a “mixture of reasons”, saying that: “I know it was all very sudden.
“But I think, whereas he did want it to go to trial, his family were putting pressure on having it end.
“So I don’t think it was his decision in part, because obviously he wanted to prove his innocence.”
EXCLUSIVE: Lady Victoria Hervey, friend of Prince Andrew gives her reaction to Prince Andrew settlement to @DanWootton on @GBNEWS. https://t.co/mKaoxS4nzf
— Rhys Gunter (@RhysGunter) February 16, 2022
It was announced on Tuesday, February 15, that Prince Andrew had reached an out of court settlement with Virginia Giuffre.
She had been suing him in a civil case, claiming he sexually assaulted her when she was 17 on three occasions.
Prince Andrew has continued to deny any wrongdoing and his agreeing to a settlement is not an admission of guilt.
He acknowledged that his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was regrettable.
READ MORE: Queen faces new anguish police launch probe into Charles' charity
However, some charities who work with victims of sexual abuse have expressed “significant concerns” about having ties to Prince Andrew, reports claim.
Labour MP and Shadow Minister for domestic violence and safeguarding Jess Phillips told Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour that “those who work in sexual violence [and] human trafficking services are certainly not going to have open arms to his allyship”.
Ms Phillips continued: “It’s going to take a huge amount of effort and I think it will be incredibly hard for Prince Andrew to make that effort.”