Virginia Giuffre, a US woman who has accused Jeffrey Epstein of trafficking her to the UK when she was 17 years old to have sex with Prince Andrew, has unleashed on Epstein’s powerful defenders.
A photo showing Andrew with his arm around Giuffre – then Virginia Roberts – has been widely published since her allegations resurfaced. The photo is said to be at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the woman who has been accused of acting as Epstein’s enabler.
However, Andrew himself has suggested the photo is a forgery, with “sources close” to him claiming to the UK press that it must have been faked, because Andrew’s fingers are “much chubbier” in real life.
In an interview with the BBC’s Panorama, Giuffre slammed those claims and implored the British public for their support.
“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,” she said.
“I’m calling BS on this. He knows what happened, I know what happened. And there’s only one of us telling the truth.”
The interview included details of how she was introduced to the prince. She said she was taken to the Tramp nightclub in London by Andrew, Epstein and Maxwell, when the royal asked her to dance.
“He is the most hideous dancer I’ve ever seen in my life. His sweat was like it was raining basically everywhere,” she said.
After they left, Giuffre said she was given instructions by Maxwell.
“In the car Ghislaine tells me that I have to do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey and that just made me sick.”
The interview was recorded prior to Prince Andrew’s disastrous one a few weeks earlier, when he claimed Giuffre’s story was false due to a “medical condition” in which he did not sweat.
Andrew and Maxwell have both said Giuffre’s allegations are lies. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died by suicide in prison this year.
In response to the new program, a statement from Buckingham Palace said Andrew “unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein” and “deeply sympathises with those affected who want some form of closure.”
However, it added: “It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”
In the wake of Andrew’s interview – which was described as “a plane crashing into an oil tanker, causing a tsunami, triggering a nuclear explosion level bad” – the Queen booted him from royal duties. Andrew is reportedly “shell-shocked” by the fallout.
