Prince Andrew is barred from repeating his denial that he raped accuser Virginia Giuffre under the terms of their out-of-court settlement, it has been reported. 

The financial deal – said to be worth as much as £12 million – is said to include a gagging clause preventing either side discussing the case or the terms of their agreement. 

It means the Duke of York, who has consistently and vehemently denied the allegations, can no longer reassert his claim to have no memory of meeting Ms Giuffre, according to The Telegraph. 

However, the stipulation is only thought to remain in place until after the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, meaning Ms Giuffre may be free to break her silence in a matter of months. 

A friend of the Duke told the newspaper: ‘If you’re going to go for legal resolution at those sorts of prices then you want silence – but what we’ve got is silence for the Platinum Jubilee.’ 

The purported £12 million deal is said to comprise of a £10 million payment to Ms Giuffre and an additional £2 million payment in the form of a donation to her sex trafficking charity. 

Buckingham Palace has come under pressure to reveal where the money will come from and reassure the public that no taxpayer cash will go towards it. 

Last month, the Palace announced the duke would be defending the case ‘as a private citizen’, but several commentators have claimed that would not stop him having been helped along with money from the Queen’s private wealth. 

There had been reports Andrew had been trying to sell a chalet in the Swiss resort of Verbier, which he bought for a reported £13 million in 2014 with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. 

David McClure, author of Royal Privilege: The Queen’s True Worth, said: ‘The very fact he had to sell, it does show he had some money, but he didn’t have lots of money. 

‘So where does the money come from? I think more than likely the Queen.’ 

The Mirror reports that she has agreed to assist her second son by paying the £2 million donation, with the deal structured to ensure Her Majesty’s contribution went to charity rather than directly to his accuser. 

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on Tuesday’s legal development, while Andrew’s representatives also declined to say how the donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity would be funded. 

Royal finances expert Mr McClure said he felt strongly that there was a ‘public right to know’ about the ‘rough’ size of the settlement, adding: ‘I don’t think this should be a state secret.’ 

Andrew has also faced calls to relinquish his dukedom, or for the Queen to remove it, in the wake of his financial agreement with Ms Giuffre. 

The Duke of York title was a gift from his mother on his wedding day in 1986 and was previously used by her father George VI. 

Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who represents York Central, has called on Andrew to withdraw his title to show ‘respect’ for people living in York. 

Palace sources said there has been no change to Andrew’s current titles since the duke was stripped of his honorary military roles by the monarch last month when he also stopped using his HRH style. 

He remains the Duke of York and a Vice Admiral. 

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