What's happened
Prince Andrew is said to be plotting a "fightback" into public life and believes this may still be possible, it is claimed.
Why it matters
The Duke of York was left out of public life after Virginia Giuffre accused him of raping her when she was just 17. The Duke has always strenuously denied the accusations but he reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum to avoid going to trial. The event is significant as it suggests that Prince Andrew is attempting to return to public life despite the allegations against him.
What the papers say
The Independent, The Mirror, Metro
How we got here
Prince Andrew was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages earlier this year, after Virginia Giuffre brought a US civil case against him for sexual assault - claims he consistently denied. In March, he paid a financial settlement to Giuffre thought to be worth up to £12m. Days before the Queen’s death in September, the Duke of York was left “in tears” when Charles, as Prince of Wales, told him he would never return to royal duties.
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Virginia Louise Giuffre is an American advocate of justice for sex trafficking victims. She is one of the most prominent and outspoken survivors of the sex trafficking ring that was operated by convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
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Alan Morton Dershowitz is an American lawyer and legal scholar known for his scholarship of U.S. constitutional law and American criminal law, and a noted advocate of civil liberties.