The Queen is spending millions of pounds funding Prince Andrew’s fight against sex abuse allegations.
The Duke of York is being sued in New York by Virginia Giuffre, now 38, who claims he sexually abused her on three separate occasions when she was 17 — in London, New York and on billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island.
Andrew, 61, has consistently and strongly denied the allegations.
Her Majesty, 95, agreed to pay for the duke’s legal defence last year shortly after his disastrous interview on BBC Newsnight, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The duke last week expanded his American legal team to include Melissa Lerner alongside his lead counsel Andrew Brettler.
Mr Brettler is thought to be charging the Duke around $2,000 (£1,476) an hour.
The Queen will source funds from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, the paper reported.
Royal courtiers expect the bill will run into millions as the civil case against Andrew continues for months or even years. And a potential settlement or damages payout would cost millions more on top of the overall bill.
