Prince Andrew has been sued by a woman who alleges that he sexually assaulted her when she was 17 years old. As Entertainment Tonight reports, court documents filed by Virginia Giuffre's lawyers in Manhattan on Monday see her share why she has decided to pursue legal action against the royal.
Prince Andrew's accuser calls for legal accountability
Prince Andrew came under scrutiny back in 2019 after his connection to Jeffrey Epstein became public knowledge. The royal was called upon by the United States government to testify against Epstein in 2020, and turned down a military promotion in the wake of the scandal. In 2018, Epstein took his own life while he was facing a prison sentence for sex trafficking charges.
Giuffre first spoke about having been sexually abused by Prince Andrew in a Netflix documentary called Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, which was released last May. "I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me," she said in her statement to the court, mentioning how people who have power or wealth "are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions."
Prince Andrew's accuser also went on to say that she "did not come to this decision lightly," and understands the potential consequences of having come forward. However, Giuffre explained that she wants to set an example for other sexual assault victims. She also made it clear that she feels committed to her family, saying she "would be letting them and victims everywhere down" if she did not pursue the case.