Prince Andrew can sell Swiss chalet after settling £6.6m debt, say reports

The Duke of York has settled a £6.6m debt with a French socialite allowing him to sell a Swiss chalet as he faces escalating legal bills over the sexual assault civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, according to reports.

Isabelle de Rouvre, 74, who sold the property to Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, in 2014 for a reported £18m, said: "The war is over. He has paid the money."

Andrew and his ex-wife had agreed with Rouvre that Chalet Helora in the ski resort of Verbier in the Swiss Alps, would be paid for in instalments. But Rouvre claimed the two failed to make the final £5m instalment.

Initially Rouvre agreed the final instalment could be deferred until December 2019, with interest accruing, but the Yorks still did not honour the agreement despite repeated demands, it was reported.

Rouvre launched legal action in May 2020 in Switzerland to recoup the £5m plus interest owed to her. Andrew is said to have finally paid late last year.

Speaking to MailOnline, Rouvre said she had sold the house to the Yorks about two months ago.

"That is the end of the story thankfully," she told the website. "The war is finished. It is the end of the matter. I have nothing to do with it now. That's all."