Is Queen Elizabeth Really Spending Millions On Prince Andrew's Legal Issues?
Throughout her nearly 70-year reign on the British throne, Queen Elizabeth has largely kept her familial relationships out of the public spotlight. She rarely comments on allegations brought on by the media about her family. However, 2021 has not been a good year for Elizabeth, from a public relations standpoint. Her Majesty was forced to acknowledge bombshell revelations from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's joint interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. She has also had to deal with the fallout from her son Prince Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019, per CNN.
While Prince Andrew has categorically denied any wrongdoing on his part in the Epstein scandal, his ties with the convicted sex offender are still dominating headlines across the world. In August, Andrew was served papers by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, accusing him of sexually assaulting her while she was underage, according to The Guardian.
Buckingham Palace has not yet responded to matters regarding the lawsuit, but a new report alleges that Elizabeth is lending a helping hand to her son as he fights for his innocence.
Queen Elizabeth is reportedly funding Prince Andrew's legal battle
According to The Telegraph, Queen Elizabeth is "privately funding" Prince Andrew's legal fight against sexual abuse allegations by Virginia Roberts Giuffre. The outlet reports that Elizabeth agreed to help Andrew with his legal fees at the beginning of 2020 after he received blowback from critics and the public for his Newsnight interview, in which he failed to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein or show empathy towards his victims, per The Guardian. Prince Andrew stepped down from public duties as a result of that interview and therefore has not been able to make any money as a working royal for the past two years.
The outlet reports that Andrew is represented by Andrew Brettler and Melissa Lerner from the Los Angeles-based Lavley Singer, which is a go-to for celebrities with legal troubles. Andrew is believed to be charged $2,000 per hour for legal services conducted by the law firm. The Telegraph reports that the funds — worth millions — are coming from Elizabeth's private Duchy of Lancaster estate.
While Elizabeth has had no problem supporting Andrew in his legal fight, royal courtiers expect the legal fees to be substantial, as Giuffre is seeking "compensatory and punitive damages," per The Guardian, which could amount to millions of dollars depending on the length of the lawsuit and potential settlements.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).