A forthcoming memoir alleges that a member of the British royal family sought a specific legal agreement to prevent sexual assault claims from overshadowing a major national event.
According to the book, a settlement in a high-profile civil case included a provision for a one-year period of silence. This measure was reportedly intended to ensure that public celebrations marking a monarch’s historic reign would not be further impacted by the controversy. The same year as those celebrations, the royal in question was stripped of honorary military titles by the monarchy.
The memoir, written by a woman who accused the royal of sexual abuse, details her perspective on the legal strategy. She asserts that a widely criticized television interview given by the royal significantly strengthened her legal team’s position, even leading to discussions about compelling testimony from his immediate family members.
In that interview, the royal stated he did not regret his association with a convicted sex offender, denied remembering the accuser, and provided an alibi for one of the alleged encounters. The accuser’s account, however, describes multiple instances of abuse beginning when she was a teenager.
The civil lawsuit was ultimately resolved with a financial settlement in 2022. Court documents from the time indicated the agreement included a substantial donation to a charity supporting victims’ rights. The royal also publicly expressed regret for his past association with the convicted offender and pledged to support efforts against human trafficking.
From the accuser’s viewpoint, the outcome represented more than monetary compensation. She believed it included a critical, if indirect, acknowledgment of harm suffered by her and others, along with an implied agreement not to publicly dispute the claims in the future. The accuser died earlier this year.
