We Finally Know When Prince Andrew Might Go To Trial

The following article contains allegations of sexual assault and child sex abuse.

It seems that Prince Andrew might finally see his day in court regarding claims of sexual assault made by a woman who was a minor at the time the alleged incidents occurred. The Duke of York, who was officially delivered official papers in September for a sexual assault suit filed by the attorneys of plaintiff Virginia Giuffre, could feasibly be drawing closer and closer to having to testify on his behalf in a foreign court. Not only that, but it could put to rest yet another chapter in the saga of the now-deceased billionaire and alleged human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who — according to Giuffre — began trafficking her when she was a minor. Giuffre claims that's what led her to Andrew, who says he first met Epstein in 1999, although that timeline has been up for debate, The Guardian noted.

According to CNN, news of the possible trial date took place only days after the British royal attempted to have the suit dismissed in late October, on the basis that he "unequivocally denies Giuffre's false allegations against him," as his lawyer's motion read. But now it seems his last-ditch effort remained but that, and at least one U.S. district judge felt confident enough to say the projected court date aloud during a conference.

According to ITV editor Chris Ship's reporting, "[an] approximate trial date has been suggested for the lawsuit against Prince Andrew. A judge in New York says it's likely to be held next Autumn/Fall." He later tweeted that "[l]awyers for both Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre estimate they will submit around dozen depositions each," which will "include sworn evidence from both the Defendant (Andrew) and the Plaintiff (Giuffre)." (The development came on the heels of Prince Andrew refusing to speak with the FBI — a claim his camp denied — and reportedly evading process servers.)

As for the judge Ship referenced, that was none other than U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, according to CNN. Judge Kaplan also preambled with a caveat: due to the logistical issue of convening juries in a manner ensuring the highest degree of safety — presumably due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — a date can't be set in stone at this time. There's also the problem of Prince Andrew's motion to dismiss, which has yet to be completely thrown out. Per CNN, Giuffre's legal team will most likely counter Andrew's attorney's dismissal filing by mid-November, with a further response expected by Andrew's team a month later, in December.

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).