Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Giuffre dies by suicide aged 41 as tributes paid
It comes weeks after she was hospitalised following a car accidentVirginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died by suicide at the age of 41.
The tragic news was confirmed by her publicist, Dini von Mueffling, and her family. Virginia died on Friday at her farm in Western Australia.
Virginia’s family issued a heartbreaking statement, calling her a “fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking”.
Virginia Giuffre dies by suicide at the age of 41
Police said emergency services found a woman unresponsive at a home near Perth on Friday (April 25).
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said her death isn’t being treated as suspicious.
In a statement, Virginia’s family paid tribute to her saying: “She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors.
“Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure. The light of her life were her children Christian, Noah, and Emily.”
It continued: “It was when she held her newborn daughter in her arms that Virginia realized she had to fight back against those who had abused her and so many others.
“There are no words that can express the grave loss we feel today with the passing of our sweet Virginia. She was heroic and will always be remembered for her incredible courage and loving spirit.
“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight. We know that she is with the angels.”
Her publicist added: “She adored her children and many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself.
“I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
Virginia Giuffre’s car accident
Virginia’s tragic death comes just weeks after she posted a message and photo to her Instagram, saying she had been in a car accident. She said she collided with a school bus.
At the time, she claimed she had “four days to live”. She said on Instagram alongside a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed with a bruised face: “I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology. I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes.”
Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
However, Australian police described the crash as “minor”. They said there were “no reported injuries”.
Virginia leaves behind her three children. Her attorney, Sigrid McCawley, has also said in a statement: “Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring. The world has lost an amazing human being today.
“Rest in peace, my sweet angel.”
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What did Virginia Giuffre accuse Prince Andrew of?
Virginia sued Prince Andrew in a US civil lawsuit in 2021. She accused him of sexual assault. Virginia alleged she was abused by the Duke of York when she was 17.
She claimed she had been trafficked by late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein – who had a friendship with the prince.
Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied Virginia ‘s claims.
In 2022, the pair settled the civil case out of court for an undisclosed sum. According to reports, the sum may have been around £12million.
It also reportedly included a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”.
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