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The seismic aftershocks of Prince Andrew’s deal with sex accuser Virginia Roberts are still rattling the monarchy — and the public.
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The Puke of York signed off on a deal with former Jeffrey Epstein sex slave Roberts on Tuesday.
But a slew of questions remain about what legal experts have called an “admission of guilt” by the dim duke.
Here’s the latest:
- It’s believed Queen Elizabeth ponied up a good portion of the estimated $20-million settlement and now there is a public outcry on the cusp of her Platinum Jubilee.
- Questions have also arisen about where exactly the luxury-loving prince gets his funds. He has a small naval pension and an annual stipend from the Queen of about $430,000.
- Sources say Andrew was about to be torpedoed in his latest bid to have the suit dismissed with newly released email messages between lawyer Alan Dershowitz and Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell admits in the exchange that the infamous photo of herself, Andrew and Roberts is “real.”
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“This settlement came far earlier than any of us expected,” royal finances expert David McClure told the U.K. Sun, adding that Andrew’s financial situation has long been “shrouded in mystery.”
Last month, the prince was forced to sell his beloved ski chalet in Switzerland for around $30 million but he likely lost money on the property, McClure said.
“Prince Andrew has made a few million from that sale, but he will have to split that with Fergie, and he had a mortgage to pay on it, so he is likely to have lost money on it,” David said. “The Queen will help pay for her son’s settlement for the simple reason that she has disposable money and he doesn’t.”
Media in the U.K. are reporting that for years the penurious prince has relied on handouts from his mother, Eastern European oligarchs and despots and an American pedophile named Jeffrey Epstein.
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Anti-monarchist Graham Smith told the Daily Mail that “taxpayers deserve to know where the money is coming from for a settlement, which we must assume is in the millions, if not tens of millions.” The palace refused to comment.
In addition, it’s believed Andrew’s legal bills were in the neighbourhood of about $1.75 million.
Reports said that Prince Andrew — who had intended to slug it out in court — was pressured into the climb-down by the Queen and his brother, Prince Charles.
“I’m sure that Charles has had enough of the situation. Charles would have said to Andrew that he needed to get this sorted out as soon as possible and before the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations begin. Charles did not want this hanging over the Royal Family this year,” a Royal insider told the Daily Mail.
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A former Royal protection officer told the U.K. Sun Andrew’s sudden U-turn was likely ordered by his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
“This wasn’t his decision, this was the Queen’s,” said Paul Page, adding that the prince’s story was “full of holes” and the Duke “would have been slaughtered” in his deposition.
For her part, Roberts has agreed to a “period of silence” about the matter during Jubilee celebrations.
While Andrew is now a disgrace and essentially in virtual exile, signing the deal may have saved him more embarrassment and a disastrous defeat in open court.
A leaked email from Ghislaine Maxwell appeared to confirm the authenticity of the notorious photograph of herself, Andrew and Roberts at her London home in 2001. The photo was the latest pillar the prince’s legal eagles hoped to base their defense around.
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Famed lawyer and Epstein buddy Dershowitz emailed the posh pimp asking about the photograph. Maxwell said she believed the photo was authentic.
Dershowitz wrote: “Dear G. Do you know whether the photo of Andrew and virginia is real? You are in the background.”
In 2015 Maxwell replied: “It looks real. I think it is.”
The prince had long denied not only having sex with Roberts but ever meeting her.
Where did poverty-stricken Prince Andrew get cash for sex settlement? - Toronto Sun
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