What does Virginia Giuffre's death mean for Prince Andrew?

Virginia Giuffre died by suicide on Friday, aged only 41. Her death has closed a tragic chapter in the sprawling Jeffrey Epstein saga, one of the biggest cases of sexual abuse and child trafficking documented in recent times. 

But what will it mean for Prince Andrew?

Giuffre, who died at her home in Western Australia, was an outspoken accuser of the abuse she suffered by Epstein. Among a raft of allegations, Giuffre alleged Epstein trafficked her to Prince Andrew when she was 17.

Andrew has consistently denied these accusations.

"Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking," her family said in a statement. 

"She was the light that lifted so many survivors."

Watch: Virginia Giuffre's death and Prince Andrew. Post continues below.

Giuffre, who leaves behind three children, was one of 23 women who gave evidence in 2019 in New York's Federal Court against Epstein. She alleges the American financier had abused and trafficked her since the age of 16 with the help of his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. 

A photo of Giuffre aged 17, with Prince Andrew's arm around her at Maxwell's home in London, with Maxwell in the frame, was considered incriminating evidence. Giuffre alleged she had sex with the royal three times between 1999 and 2002.

On Monday, Andrew's ex-girlfriend, Lady Victoria Hervey, shared a link to an article which reported that Giuffre died by suicide and commented, "When lies catch up with you there's no way out."

The backlash was swift, with commenters calling her "vile" and "cold hearted". She has since backtracked, saying in a comment that "suicide at anytime by anyone is tragic".

It's a horrific but unsurprising reaction, given the Prince's attitude since he was first implicated in Epstein's sex trafficking accusations. It was only when Epstein reportedly died by suicide in New York's correctional Centre in August 2019, that Andrew began to experience serious public pressure to say something, anything, to explain himself and that photo.

And so, three months after Epstein's death, Andrew conducted a sit-down interview with the BBC to share his side of the story.

In the interview, Andrew gave journalist Emily Maitlis a tour of the palace and denied he ever met Giuffre. He said he barely knew Epstein and claimed the photo was faked, as he was at a pizza party that night with daughter Beatrice. 

He denied Giuffre's recollection of him in court papers as "sweaty" after a dance, claiming it was now physically impossible for him to perspire after a war injury.

The Guardian called the interview "grotesque," with some journalists comparing the fallout to a nuclear explosion. 

Less than a week after it aired, Prince Andrew announced he was stepping back from royal duties "for the foreseeable future". Once known as her favourite child, Queen Elizabeth stripped Andrew of his title, "Royal Highness'. By May 2020 he was taken off royal duties for good.

Andrew was never convicted and settled a civil case with Giuffre out of court in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. Part of the settlement included him never having to admit wrongdoing.

Giuffre, who had suffered abuse since she was four-years-old, had spent time in the foster system and on the streets before being groomed by Maxwell at 16, gave evidence to help convict Maxwell in 2021. Maxwell is currently serving a 65-year sentence.

Giuffre's friend told the media she expected nothing from the palace in the wake of her suicide, but royal experts are more forthright, calling it "the end of Prince Andrew".

Writing for The Daily Beast, Tom Sykes believes that Giuffre's suicide will mean that "Prince Andrew's name is irrevocably tarnished with a stigma that will follow him for life. He is finished."

Royal biographer Tom Bower told the Daily Mail: "Virginia Giuffre's death won't relieve the pressure on Prince Andrew but have an opposite effect. People will feel even more sympathy for the woman."

In the same publication, Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams described Andrew as a "walking disaster", adding, "If he ever is to hope for rehabilitation … and he is only 65, he needs a radical rethink and for it to be believed that he has genuine regrets."

It remains to be seen if Andrew will ever capitulate. But it seems the royal family's motto of "never complain, never explain" has been personally tweaked by Andrew to a lofty "never admit, never explain". 

One thing he most certainly does not appear to have, apart from self-awareness and contrition, is peace. But maybe Giuffre, at long last, has some measure of it now.

Feature Image: Virginia Giuffre.