London High Court to notify Prince Andrew about sexual assault case against him in US

The London High Court will formally contact Queen Elizabeth II’s son, Prince Andrew over the allegations of sexual assault filed by Virginia Giuffre in a US court. The latest development came after Giuffre’s lawyers requested the High Court to contact the Duke of York about the civil case that was launched in New York. The woman has accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her but the royal’s lawyers have argued that he has not been properly served notice of the case. Prince Andrew has also rejected Giuffre’s claims. 

The Hague Service Convention is a treaty that governs the requests between different nations for evidence in both civil and commercial matters. The same treaty allows Giuffre’s legal team to ask the High Court in London to formally notify Prince Andrew about the woman’s civil action. 

Even though the High Court had initially denied the request, as per the BBC report, it later said that Giuffre’s lawyers have now provided additional information. Hence, the High Court “accepted the request for service under the Hague Service Convention.” Reportedly, the High Court in London also said that the legal process over the acceptance of the request has not yet been served but added, “the High Court will now take steps to serve under the convention, unless service is arranged by agreement between the parties."

Giuffre has claimed that she was trafficked by the Duke of York’s former friend and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew. She also claimed that the incident took place when she was 17 and a minor under the law in the United States. However, UK’s Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, Andrew, has repeatedly denied all the claims against him.

Andrew’s lawyers contested ‘validity of service to date’

As per a Sky News report, at the first pre-trial hearing in New York on Monday, Prince Andrew’s lawyers contested "the validity of service to date.” His legal team also added that the Duke of York had not been properly served under both UK or the international law. The lawyers told the court in the United States that they had already contacted High Court in London about the same matter.

Meanwhile, as per the report, David Boies, representing Giuffre said that the complaint was delivered to the last known address of the defendant, Prince Andrew and noted that the documents were also sent “by Royal Mail.”

Image: AP