Virginia Giuffre’s Family Seeks Meeting After Prince Andrew’s Title Loss

Virginia Giuffre’s family expressed feelings of vindication following the announcement that Prince Andrew would relinquish his remaining royal titles. On October 17, 2023, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew would no longer use the title of Duke of York, although he retains the status of prince. This decision comes in the wake of ongoing controversies surrounding his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and new allegations regarding contact with a suspected Chinese spy.

The announcement coincided with the impending release of Giuffre’s memoir, which details her allegations against Andrew. Giuffre claimed that she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sexual encounters with Andrew when she was just 17 years old. Her brother, Sky Roberts, reflected on the news, stating, “We’ve shed a lot of happy and sad tears today. I think happy because in a lot of ways this vindicates Virginia.”

Roberts emphasized the importance of Giuffre’s story and suggested that he would welcome a meeting with the UK Parliament or King Charles to present evidence that supports her claims. He stated, “This is just one step of many,” highlighting the need for continued advocacy for Giuffre’s voice and legacy.

Prince Andrew released a statement asserting that he denies the accusations made against him, claiming they distract from the work of the Royal Family. He said, “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” The decision to abandon his titles follows a series of damaging revelations, including his name appearing in documents related to Epstein’s estate, which were released by the US House Oversight Committee. These documents include flight logs indicating that Andrew flew on Epstein’s private jet in 2000 and 2006, raising further scrutiny on his past associations.

In addition to this, a previously unseen email from 2011 surfaced, showing Andrew communicating with Epstein that “we are in this together,” just months after he publicly stated that he had cut ties with Epstein in December 2010. Although Andrew will no longer use titles such as the Duke of York and others associated with his royal status, he retains them technically, as they can only be stripped by an Act of Parliament.

The former duke’s public life has been significantly affected since he stepped down from royal duties in 2019 following a widely criticized interview on BBC Newsnight, where he claimed he “did not regret” his friendship with Epstein. Following the fallout, he lost military patronages and was stripped of his HRH title by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

As the Giuffre family seeks to keep her story alive, their call for a meeting with senior members of the monarchy underscores the ongoing impact of the allegations against Andrew and the broader implications for the Royal Family.