Virginia Giuffre ‘vindicated’ by Andrew’s title surrender, says family

Virginia Giuffre’s family say the news that Prince Andrew will give up his remaining titles “vindicates” their sister.

Friday’s announcement that Andrew would stop using his remaining titles and honours and will no longer be known as the Duke of York came amid renewed controversy surrounding his role in the Epstein scandal and fresh scrutiny over alleged contact with a suspected Chinese spy.

It comes four days before the publication of Ms Giuffre’s memoir. The former duke reportedly paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her.

‘Truth teller’

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Ms Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts said his sister, who died in April, was a “truth teller from the beginning”.

He said: “We’ve shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia.”

Ms Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17, after being trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

She said in her memoir that Andrew acted as if sex with her was his “birthright”.

Mr Roberts added he would “welcome” contact with the UK Parliament or the King, offering to “present the evidence that we believe is available to continue her voice”.

“I think it’s so important for the world to know how much of a hero she was, but how much is still left that the stone is still left unturned to some degree,” he said.

“This is just one step of many.”

Accusations 

The former duke used the statement about relinquishing his title to insist claims against him were untrue, saying: “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

“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.”

Andrew faced renewed backlash after appearing in the latest documents tied to Epstein’s estate, published by the US House Oversight Committee on Friday.

Among the documents are flight logs listing “Prince Andrew” as a passenger on Epstein’s private jet in 2000 and 2006.

Separately, a newly surfaced 2011 email shows the former duke writing to Epstein, “we are in this together,” sent a couple of months after he publicly claimed to have cut ties with Epstein in December 2010.

Although Andrew is relinquishing his dukedom, he technically retains it and it can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.

The titles and honours he will no longer use include his wedding day titles – The Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The prince stepped down from public life in 2019 following a Newsnight interview where he said he “did not regret” his friendship with Epstein.

He was later stripped of his military patronages by the late Queen, and stopped using his HRH title.