Virginia Giuffre, The Duke of York’s accuser has given her first UK interview. Formerly known as Virginia Roberts, in an interview to BBC Panorama, she talks about her alleged meetings with the royal. In the hour-long investigative programme entitled The Prince and the Epstein Scandal, Ms Giuffre details her encounters with Prince Andrew in Tramp nightclub in London and addresses a photograph of them together which friends of the Duke say may have been faked.
Last week the BBC released an excerpt of the Panorama interview, in which Ms Giuffre said: “He knows what happened. I know what happened and there’s only one of us telling the truth, and I know that’s me.”
It comes after Prince Andrew spoke about his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a BBC Newsnight interview last month. Speaking at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s son “categorically” denied having any sexual contact with Ms Giuffre, one of Jeffrey’s accusers, who was aged 17 at the time. The royal told Emily Maitlis: “It didn’t happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
Buckingham Palace has branded the allegations “false and without any foundation”, stating: “Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors” by the Duke was “categorically untrue”.
The Nightclub
Ms Giuffre on her alleged encounter with the Duke in Tramp nightclub in 2001: “We went into the VIP section. There was no waiting in the lines obviously – you were with a Prince. Andrew asked me what I wanted to drink, you know, and I said oh, you know, something from the bar. He had something clear. I know mine was vodka and then he asked me to dance.”
In the Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew said the alleged encounter did not happen, adding: “I was with the children and I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at I suppose, sort of, four or five in the afternoon.”
The photo
Ms Giuffre on the photo of her and the Duke: “The people on the inside are going to keep coming up with these ridiculous excuses. Like his arm was elongated or the photo was doctored, or he came to New York to break up with Jeffrey Epstein. I mean, come on, I’m calling BS on this, because that’s what it is.”
Prince Andrew told Newsnight: “Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored but I don’t recollect that photograph ever being taken.”
The sweating
Ms Giuffre on allegedly dancing with the Duke in Tramp nightclub in 2001: “His sweat was … raining basically everywhere.”
Prince Andrew told Newsnight:
“I didn’t sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at and I simply… it was almost impossible for me to sweat.
Prince Andrew’s statement after stepping down
The Duke has since stepped back from his royal duties, saying in a statement: “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
“I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”
