Woman sues Prince Andrew, accusing him of sexual assault when she was 17
Virginia Giuffre, one of the women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of trafficking her when she was a teenager, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Prince Andrew on Monday, claiming he sexually assaulted her when she was 17.
"I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me," Giuffre said in a statement. "The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one's life by speaking out and demanding justice."
Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her multiple times while she was under 18, including once during a trip to London, when Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew against her will.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The lawsuit says that because of the trio's "powerful connections, wealth, and authority," Giuffre "feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying" their orders that she have sex with Prince Andrew. The suit also says Prince Andrew knew at the time that Giuffre was a minor. She is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, The Associated Press reports.
In 2019, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight that he had "no recollection" of ever meeting Giuffre, and he could "absolutely categorically tell you" he did not force her to have sex. Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 after being arrested on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was arrested in 2020 on sex trafficking charges; she pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial in November.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 3, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published