Meghan Markle May Not Be the Only Member of the Royal Family Forced to Testify at Prince Andrew’s Sexual Assault Trial

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Alleged victim Virginia Giuffre has filed a civil suit against Prince Andrew accusing him of sexual assault.
• Her attorney claims Meghan Markle may be called to testify because she can be counted on to tell the truth.
• The Duchess of Sussex may not be the only member of the royal family he may call on.

Meghan Markle could be forced to testify in Prince Andrew’s sexual assault trial, according to lawyer David Boies. But she’s not the only member of the royal family who could end up on the stand or in a deposition.

Alleged victim Virginia Giuffre is suing Prince Andrew for sexual assault

Earlier this month, New York Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that the sexual assault lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre can move forward. Giuffre claims that she was the victim of battery and intentional emotional abuse when British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her at the age of 17.

Giuffre claims that she was forced to have sex at the age of 17 with Jeffrey Epstein and his associates – including Prince Andrew.

Since Judge Kaplan decided not to throw out Giuffre’s lawsuit, Prince Andrew has a choice to make. He must battle it out in court or agree to a settlement. Which experts believe could end up being worth millions. The disgraced royal has vehemently denied Giuffre’s allegations.

Meghan Markle can be counted on to tell the truth

According to Giuffre’s attorney David Boies, Meghan Markle could be called to testify in Giuffre’s case against the Duke of York if he chooses to battle it out in court. He explained to The Daily Beast that Markle might have “important knowledge” relating to Giuffre’s allegations.

Boies explained that there are three reasons why Markle — who is married to Prince Andrew’s nephew Prince Harry — would make a good witness in the case.

“One; she is in the US so we have jurisdiction over her,” Boies said. “Two; she is somebody who obviously, at least for a period of time, was a close associate of Prince Andrew and hence is in a position to perhaps have seen what he did, and perhaps if not to have seen what he did to have heard people talk about it. Three; she is somebody who we can count on, to tell the truth. She checks all three boxes.”

Meghan Markle might not be the only royal family member forced to testify

Boise says that in addition to Markle, he would seek depositions from people close to Andrew. This could mean his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, or his brother Prince Charles.

“We would likely take one or two depositions of people close to Andrew who would have knowledge of his actions. That might include his ex-wife. It could possibly be his brother,” Boies said.

Prince Charles has been ignoring questions from the press about his younger brother ever since he was stripped of patronages and military titles. Buckingham Palace did, however, make a statement about Prince Andrew’s royal status.

Prince Andrew is fighting the lawsuit as a ‘private citizen’

The brief statement from the palace made it clear that Prince Andrew will never again be a senior working royal. And, he’s on his own while fighting his case.

“With the Queen’s approval and agreement, the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen,” the statement read.

Meghan Markle might be called to testify, but not the Queen

One royal family member who will absolutely not be called to testify in Prince Andrew’s case is Queen Elizabeth. Boies says that out of respect for Her Majesty, he would not “seek to depose the Queen.”

“I don’t think she is going to have any knowledge that other people don’t have, I think that he is unlikely to have spoken as freely to his mother about some of this stuff as he might have to his contemporaries or his ex-wife.”