Prince Andrew set for crunch week in US sex assault lawsuit

Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein in a photo entered into evidence at her sex crimes trial

Britain's Prince Andrew faces a crucial week in his fight against a sexual assault lawsuit brought in New York by a long-time accuser of late financier Jeffrey Epstein and his onetime partner Ghislaine Maxwell.

The release of a legal settlement on Monday and oral arguments in the case on Tuesday come after socialite Maxwell was convicted last week of sex trafficking minors for Epstein. 

She has sued the British royal for unspecified damages, alleging he sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17 and a minor under American law.

A 2009 settlement between Epstein and Giuffre is due to be made public by a New York court on Monday.

They hope it will be sufficient grounds for a judge to dismiss her lawsuit against the royal.

- Sweating -

The day before, Giuffre's lawyers demanded that Andrew hand over medical records proving that he is unable to sweat.

The legal developments come as Andrew finds himself under fresh pressure after his friend Maxwell was found guilty on Wednesday of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Giuffre says Prince Andrew assaulted her at Epstein's home in New York, and on his private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Epstein died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 after being charged with child sex trafficking charges, in what New York's coroner ruled was a suicide.

Kaplan said in November that Giuffre's lawsuit against Andrew could go before a New York jury towards the end of 2022.

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Originally published as Prince Andrew set for crunch week in US sex assault lawsuit