Relatives of the late Virginia Giuffre, one in every of Jeffrey Epstein’s most outspoken victims, thanked British authorities Thursday after the previous Prince Andrew was arrested on his 66th birthday for suspected misconduct while in public office.
Giuffre said she was forced by the convicted sex offender and his aide, Ghislaine Maxwell — who’s currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for child sex trafficking offences — to have sex with the disgraced royal when she was an adolescent.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (his public name once he was stripped of his royal titles by his brother, King Charles III) has consistently denied Giuffre’s accusations.
“Eventually, today, our broken hearts have been lifted on the news that nobody is above the law, not even royalty,” Giuffre’s siblings said in a press release.
“On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the U.K.’s Thames Valley Police for his or her investigation, and the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson said.
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“He was never a prince. For survivors in every single place, Virginia did this for you.”
Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025, shortly before the publication of her memoir, No person’s Girl. She was 41.
She alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor sexually assaulted her while she was underage.
A photograph showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Virginia Giuffre together.
U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals
Giuffre publicly shared her experiences in interviews and lawsuits for greater than 16 years before her death, and said the book enabled her to inform her story “in a way that gives context where it has been sorely lacking.”
In a 2021 lawsuit filed in Recent York, Giuffre said the alleged assault by Mountbatten-Windsor was organized by Epstein, who she claimed trafficked her to the previous prince on several occasions.
Mountbatten-Windsor denied the allegations but reached an out-of-court settlement together with her in 2022.
Earlier this month, Thames Valley Police confirmed they were examining claims that Mountbatten-Windsor shared trade secrets with Epstein in 2010.
The department had previously said it was evaluating allegations that Epstein flew a young woman to the U.K. to have sex with Andrew the identical yr.
In a press release, King Charles expressed “his profound concern at allegations which proceed to return to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct.”
“While the particular claims in query are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to handle, if we’re approached by Thames Valley Police, we stand able to support them as you’ll expect,” the palace continued.
On Thursday, Thames Valley Police said a person in his 60s from Norfolk, in eastern England, was arrested and remained in custody.
The force, which covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, didn’t discover the suspect — consistent with standard procedures in Britain — but pointed to the statement when asked to substantiate if Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested.
Mountbatten-Windsor moved to King Charles’ estate in Norfolk after he was evicted from his longtime home near Windsor Castle earlier this month.
After the arrest, the King said the law must take its course within the investigation of his brother.
“I even have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the complete, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the suitable manner and by the suitable authorities. On this, as I even have said before, they’ve our full and wholehearted support and cooperation,” he said in a press release issued by Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
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