Prince Andrew faces being cross-examined on camera by one of America's most feared trial lawyers, with embarrassing questions on everything from his sex life and 'private parts' to what he has told the Queen.
David Boies, Virginia Giuffre's 80-year-old New York attorney, is seen as the 'greatest deposition-taker' in modern American justice, and could quiz the royal for seven hours, excluding breaks, all under oath.
If he is found to have lied, he could be charged with perjury.
And in more humiliation for the Royal Family, his ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are also likely to be deposed for questioning over Andrew's sex life and alibis.
His disastrous BBC Newsnight interview means Ms Giuffre's may even try to interview Prince Charles and perhaps even attempt 'the impossible' and summon the Queen to give evidence about what her second son has told her, according to a lawyer who represented Jeffrey Epstein's victims.
Her New York attorney David Boies said his team will seek to 'depose between ten to 12 people', and admitted this could include Fergie, Beatrice and Eugenie.
Florida litigator Spencer Kuvin said: 'It is without question the Duke will be asked about his private parts. Nothing is off limits because if an underage girl can describe what the Duke of York's private parts look like... how would that be if they had not had a relationship?'
Andrew's medical records will also be requested, to ascertain if he is telling the truth about claims he cannot sweat due to a rush of adrenaline while on a Royal Navy ship under attack in the 1982 Falklands War fought between Britain and Argentina.
Mr Kuvin told the Mirror: 'Andrew's disastrous BBC Newsnight interview will haunt him. He mentioned his wife as well as his daughters. They can now all legally be deposed. The lawyers could even try for the Queen. I don't doubt they will, but as a sovereign, it will be almost impossible to do'.
Andrew now faces a choice between settling Virginia Roberts Giuffre's sex abuse lawsuit or going through a potentially ruinous court battle in which he would likely be questioned about his sexual history.
Prince Andrew is certain to be questioned about his sex life and the size and shape of his manhood if he fails to settle with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, lawyers claim
The Duke of York was pictured sitting in the back of a Range Rover this morning as he was being driven from his house in Windsor Great Park
A New York judge has sensationally ruled that the Queen's second son can be tried over claims he sexually assaulted Miss Roberts when she was 17 — allegations which Andrew has categorically denied.
Experts believe that Andrew, who earned the nickname 'Playboy Prince' as a bachelor, will want to reach an out-of-court and potentially multimillion-pound settlement with his accuser, or face having his private life be put in the spotlight in a blockbuster trial in nine months.
However, there have been suggestions that Miss Roberts, who claims she was trafficked by British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and forced to have sex with Epstein and his associates while she was a minor under US law, may not be prepared to accept a deal.
Witnesses including Sarah Ferguson and Princess Beatrice could be asked to testify, Miss Roberts's lawyer David Boies has claimed.
It is likely the duke will be asked to give evidence under oath as part of the discovery process in what is known as a deposition. However, he cannot be forced to appear in New York to defend himself due to the case being a civil suit in a different legal jurisdiction.
Andrew could simply refuse to acknowledge its existence — but the court would then pass a judgement in his absence, risking even more damage to his already-shattered reputation.
Last night, the royal's lawyers on both sides of the Atlantic were locked in crisis talks after their motion to dismiss the civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Roberts was 'denied in all respects', meaning the case is now heading towards an unedifying trial this autumn.
The duke's team now have a stark choice, legal experts said. They can either take the risk to press ahead and attempt to clear his name by going in front of a jury, which means Andrew would face the humiliation of having to give public testimony against lurid allegations of rape and sexual assault on oath.
Or he could try to persuade Miss Roberts to accept a multi-million pound settlement in order to avoid further damaging the reputation of the monarchy – but have the stain of the proceedings remain with him forever.
However, her New York attorney David Boies last night indicated that his client was determined to go to trial, saying: 'She wants to achieve justice', but added that while she is determined to go to trial, 'settlement is always a possibility'.
The Duke of York was photographed with his arm around the bare waist of then 17-year-old Virginia Roberts. In the background, Ghislaine Maxwell. Roberts claims she was forced to have sex with the royal three times
99 out of 100 civil cases settle out of court in the United States.
Mr Boies added that his team will seek to 'depose between ten to 12 people', and admitted this could include Fergie, Beatrice and Eugenie.
If he chooses not to settle, or if Ms Giuffre rejects any offers, Andrew faces a trial and being interviewed by her lawyers in a videotaped deposition in London that could be played in court, although the ninth in line to the throne cannot be forced to give evidence due to it being a civil suit in a different legal jurisdiction.
Additionally, he could simply ignore the case and let the court give a decision in his absence, although this would be likely to damage his reputation further.
One former US federal prosecutor said: 'This is a very, very bad day for Prince Andrew.'
Mitchell Epner told Sky News: 'There are only bad options in front of him and he has to decide which of these bad options is his best bad option.'
The pressure for Andrew to settle out of court and spare the Queen the ignominy of a sordid public trial was growing last night as he was warned he was in 'the last chance saloon with the towels over the taps'.
Andrew's £2,000-an-hour legal team were last night locked in talks amid the 'biggest constitutional crisis in living memory', and believe that the key could be his chalet in Verbier, according to The Sun.
There has been speculation that the Queen could be bankrolling the prince's case, but experts believe it would be considered a PR disaster if she paid his accuser to end claims against her second on.
Miss Roberts's lawyer Mr Boies hinted that a deal out of court could be reached, saying: 'I think Virginia is determined to go to trial, but settlement is always a possibility'.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, he added: 'There has been no suggestion of settlement discussions at this point. Prior to the time that we brought the case we reached out to Prince Andrew and to Prince Andrew's lawyers and suggested mediation as a possible way of avoiding litigation.
'There was no interest in that at that time whether that has changed or not, I think, we'll have to wait and see. A purely financial settlement is not anything that I think that she is interested in.'
Miss Roberts alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions in 2001, when she was 17, and he knew she was a trafficking victim.
She says she was offered up to the prince and other wealthy and powerful friends of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew strongly denies the claims.
Andrew will use the sale of his £18million Swiss chalet to try to pay off Virginia Roberts Giuffre with at least £10million of the proceeds, it was claimed today.
The Duke of York has been urged to settle out of court 'for the sake of his mother', who celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year, after his devastating defeat in a New York court yesterday.
Royal biographer Phil Dampier told LBC: 'I think the only way out of this is for Prince Andrew to pay her off'.
MailOnline revealed this week that Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, settled a £6.6 million debt with a French socialite, paving the way for him to sell his beloved ski chalet to fund his alleged sex abuse case.
Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, sold her house, Chalet Helora, to her then-friends Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 2014 for £18million, would be paid for in instalments. But Ms de Rouvre claimed the Yorks failed to make the final instalment of £5m for the property in the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Verbier - but this week the Yorks stumped up the cash, ending the legal battle and clearing the way for a sale.
With the chalet now on the market, the ninth in line to the throne will use up to £10million of the final sale price to settle with Ms Giuffre, according to The Sun, but without admission of liability to her claims she was forced to have sex with him three times when she was 17.
Mark Stephens, an expert in constitutional law, has said that Andrew will need to find between £5million and £10million to offer Ms Giuffre and hope she spares him a trial.
He said: 'Judge Lewis Kaplan has thrown a reasoned judicial decision like a bomb into the middle and the heart of the royal family and threatens to provoke constitutional crisis as a consequence'.
He said the duke has 'no good options', adding: 'Essentially, I think he's either going to have to engage in the trial process or he's going to have to settle and that may well be his least worst option.' He added: 'There is a need to limit the damage. Andrew, I suspect will be stripped of his royal titles. A settlement of five or ten million is a good bet but Ms Giuffre may want her day in court.'
How Prince Andrew got into this mess.. and why EVERY option he has is a nightmare
Judge Lewis A Kaplan's decision is a huge blow for Andrew, who now faces having to testify in open court
What did the judge decide?
Judge Kaplan rejected a motion by Andrew's lawyer to have Miss Roberts's sex abuse lawsuit thrown out.
The duke's team unsuccessfully argued that Miss Roberts had waived her right to pursue the duke by signing a confidential settlement with Epstein.
The settlement, made public earlier this month, detailed how Miss Roberts had received a $500,000 payout in 2009 and agreed to 'release, acquit, satisfy and forever discharged' Epstein and 'any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant'.
Andrew B Brettler, the duke's lawyer, had argued his client was a 'potential defendant' as defined by the agreement and so the case 'should be dismissed'.
But in his decision, Judge Kaplan said the agreement 'cannot be said' to benefit Andrew. He stressed that his ruling does not express any view as to the truth of Miss Roberts's allegations.
What happens next?
Legal experts say he could try to appeal, but the judge's ruling seemed so comprehensive that his chances look bleak. And the case would not be paused while he tried it.
The focus is now on a sensational trial before a New York jury starting as early as September. Unless Andrew promptly settles the case or refuses to participate, a process of 'discovery' will begin.
This will see each side demand answers, documents and 'depositions' – in which they seek to interview witnesses under oath, including Andrew and Miss Roberts.
Miss Roberts has already sent the duke's lawyers a shopping list of questions demanding
