Virginia Giuffre’s family has spoken out following Prince Andrew’s decision to give up his royal titles and honors.
“We, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, believe that Prince Andrew’s decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere,” the family said in a statement on Friday, Oct. 17. “This decisive action is a powerful step forward in our fight to bring Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s child sex-trafficking network to justice.”
“Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince,” added the statement, issued by Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson — Giuffre’s siblings and in-laws.
Under the Letters Patent issued by King George V in 1917 and later updated by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, Prince Andrew remains a prince by birthright as the son of Queen Elizabeth.
Before her death by suicide earlier this year at 41, Giuffre completed Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, scheduled for release on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
On Wednesday, Oct. 15, The Guardian published an excerpt from the memoir, detailing Giuffre’s account of three sexual encounters with Prince Andrew after Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly trafficked her to him.
In the memoir, Giuffre described meeting the prince on March 10, 2001, at Maxwell’s London home, where she posed for a photo with him using her Kodak FunSaver — an image that would later become infamous.
After dining out and visiting the London nightclub Tramp, Maxwell allegedly told her, “When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey,” Giuffre wrote.
Giuffre claimed they had sex that night, describing how he “caressed her toes, licked her arches, and thanked her” after an encounter she said lasted less than half an hour.
She also alleged that a third encounter occurred during an “orgy” with Epstein and eight other girls under 18.
In a statement released Friday, Oct. 17, Prince Andrew said, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Prince Andrew’s representatives have not commented on Giuffre’s allegations in the memoir. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre, including a statement expressing regret for his association with Epstein but admitting no liability or offering an apology, according to the BBC.
The Giuffre family’s statement continued: “The recent release of emails between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, specifically one sent in early 2011 — just after a photo of Virginia, Prince Andrew, and Ghislaine Maxwell was published — raises serious questions about the nature of their relationship. In that email, Prince Andrew wrote, ‘we are in this together,’ and ‘we’ll play more soon,’ comments that further validate the truths that Virginia had long spoken about. This evidence starkly contradicts Prince Andrew’s claims during his 2018 BBC interview, when he stated he had ceased all contact with Epstein in 2010.
“Epstein pled guilty to soliciting underage prostitution in 2008. These emails not only highlight Prince Andrew’s contradictory statements but also suggest a disturbing willingness to deflect from the truth and evade accountability. His actions and words indicate a belief that he could escape the consequences of his associations.
“We hope that the days of impunity for the powerful are over, and protection for predators will no longer be tolerated. We hope a higher standard has been set for our leaders in office in the United States — one we will work tirelessly to follow here. It is time for accountability, transparency, and justice for all survivors.”
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice will be released on Oct. 21.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected with a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, emotional distress, or substance use, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 confidential support.
