Prince Andrew looks relieved in first public appearance since settlement completion

Prince Andrew was pictured driving himself out of Windsor Castle on Tuesday, following reports that he had already settled his sexual abuse case out of court with his accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

OK! magazine shared a photo of the 62-year old looking relieved as he drove his Range Rover. He cut a lone figure and seemed to be listening to music as he wore a set of Apple AirPods in his ears.

This is the first time the Duke of York has been spotted in public after he paid Giuffre so she can drop her sexual abuse lawsuit. Her attorney David Boies told CNN that the "payment was received" and the settlement they agreed on last month "has been completed."

Attorneys for both parties reportedly agreed to file a stipulation that the lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice. This means the plaintiff cannot refile the case in the same district court in New York. The payment puts an end to accusations that Prince Andrew raped Giuffre when she was just 17 years old while she was under the employ of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who was a former associate of the royal.

The prince vehemently denied the allegations and even requested a trial by jury to prove his innocence. But it is believed that his brother, Prince Charles, and mother, Queen Elizabeth II, convinced him to settle out of court instead to avoid public humiliation in case things do not go in his favour like his now-infamous Newsnight interview in 2019.

The settlement included a payment to the accuser's charity that supports sex trafficking victims. The amount remains undisclosed but is believed to be at least £7million. A friend of the disgraced royal said he has no money to foot the bill himself so family members had to chip in.

News of the settlement came following reports that Prince Andrew was only given ten days to procure the funds so Giuffre can drop her lawsuit. He had been relying on the sale of his Swiss chalet but that would take two months. It is believed that he had to turn to Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II because no public money could be used at his expense. The Prince of Wales reportedly lent him £7million while Queen Elizabeth II also pitched in an undisclosed amount.