Virginia
Virginia Giuffre’s memoir renews allegations against Prince Andrew
Extracts from Virginia Giuffre’s posthumously released memoir have further intensified the recently renewed scrutiny on Prince Andrew, detailing allegations of being trafficked to the British royal.
Ms Giuffre took her own life earlier this year, but her story is being perpetuated in her book, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which will be released next week.
An extract published by The Guardian repeats her allegations of being forced to have sex with Prince Andrew as a minor in 2001 — a claim he has repeatedly denied.
“He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright,” Giuffre wrote.
The extract comes days after British tabloids claimed to have confirmed the prince sent an email to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein saying “it seems we’re in this together”.
Last month, multiple UK-based charities severed ties with Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, after British media reported she described Epstein as a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” in a 2011 letter.
Ms Giuffre wrote about an encounter she had with the prince in Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell’s London house, saying the four of them went to a nightclub.
On the way home, Ms Giuffre alleges she was told to have sex with the prince.
She said the pair had a bath together but “didn’t stay there long because the prince was eager to get to the bed”.
“He seemed in a rush to have intercourse.
“Afterward, he said ‘thank you’ in his clipped British accent.”
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied Ms Giuffre’s allegations. (Reuters)
Who is Virginia Giuffre?
Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, was a key figure in the campaign to bring Epstein to justice.
She was instrumental in making accusations of paedophilia, sex abuse and sex trafficking about the late financier public.
She had been vocal with her accusations of being sexually abused by Epstein as a teenager and trafficked to his wealthy, influential friends.
Among those, she alleged, was Prince Andrew.
In February 2011, UK newspaper The Mail on Sunday published a photo of Prince Andrew with his arm around Ms Giuffre alongside Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001. (Supplied)
The photo ran with a lengthy article in which Ms Giuffre detailed being trafficked by Epstein and being prepared to testify against him in the case that saw him convicted as a sex offender but handed a light sentence.
The online version of the 2011 article is careful not to accuse Prince Andrew of sexual misconduct, but raises questions about his associations with Epstein.
What was the allegation against Prince Andrew?
An allegation that Prince Andrew engaged in underage sex was made public in January 2015, after court documents in a civil case accusing Epstein of trafficking were revealed.
At the time, Buckingham Palace issued a strongly worded statement saying, “For the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.”
A few days later, The Daily Mail published a story identifying Ms Giuffre as the person described as Jane Doe #3 in the case, which was eventually settled.
In the article, Ms Giuffre spoke in greater detail about her encounters with Prince Andrew than she did in 2011.
She told the paper she was paid about $US15,000 ($23,000) by Epstein as a reward for sleeping with the prince.
Prince Andrew denied allegation in BBC interview
The years that followed led to the arrest of Epstein on sex trafficking charges in July 2019 — he was found dead in his jail cell a month later.
The intense media attention on the Epstein charges spread to his associates, bringing the allegations against Prince Andrew back into the spotlight.
Prince Andrew speaking to Emily Maitlis on the BBC. (BBC)
Prince Andrew gave an extraordinary interview on BBC Newsnight in November 2019.
During the now infamous interview, he “categorically” denied having sex with Ms Giuffre and questioned the legitimacy of the photo from 2001.
He told the BBC he had “no recollection of ever meeting this lady” and could not have been at the nightclub because he had taken his daughter to a Pizza Express restaurant that night.
He also refuted Ms Giuffre’s claims that he was sweating profusely while dancing with her because he had a “peculiar medical condition” that affected his ability to sweat.
“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,” he told the BBC.
A few days after the interview aired, he retired from public duties after agreeing to cooperate with investigations into Epstein’s alleged crimes.
UK police reviewed evidence relating to sex crime allegations against the prince, but announced they were taking no further action in 2021.
In January 2022, he was stripped of his military titles while defending a civil sex abuse case Ms Giuffre brought against him.
A month later, he reached a settlement with Ms Giuffre, reportedly making a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights.
The ABC has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
Virginia Giuffre was a key figure in the campaign to bring Epstein to justice. (AP: Bebeto Matthews)
Giuffre adamant about publishing book before death
Ms Giuffre, who resettled in Australia, died at a property in Neergabby, about 80 kilometres north of Perth, in April.
She had worked with journalist Amy Wallace to complete the manuscript for her 400-page book.
The cover image for Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice. (AP: Alfred A. Knopf)
Before she died, Ms Giuffre told Wallace it was her “heartfelt wish” the memoir be released “regardless” of her circumstances.
“The content of this book is crucial, as it aims to shed light on the systemic failures that allow the trafficking of vulnerable individuals across borders,” the email reads.
“It is imperative that the truth is understood and that the issues surrounding this topic are addressed, both for the sake of justice and awareness.”
CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. (7News) — A rabid cat, bat, raccoons and skunks have been confirmed across four Virginia counties, according to the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District.
The rabid animals were found during the first quarter of 2026 in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.
RELATED | Person exposed to rabid cat in Chantilly
They included one bat and one skunk in Culpeper, three raccoons and one skunk in Fauquier, one skunk in Madison and one cat and one skunk in Orange. Officials said no human exposures have been reported.
The health district said rabies is commonly found in Virginia wildlife, particularly raccoons, skunks and bats. Statewide, 117 animals tested positive for rabies during the first quarter of the year.
SEE ALSO | Flying bats reported near crowd at Maryland fireworks show, officials warn of health risk
Health officials are urging people to stay away from wild animals and unfamiliar pets, make sure dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and report animals acting strangely to local animal control.
(VIRGINIA MERCURY) – Virginia’s decision to revive legal cannabis sales through the state budget instead of standalone legislation has triggered several days of confusion over the commonwealth’s marijuana laws, with lawmakers, local prosecutors, Virginia State Police and legislative officials offering differing interpretations of when key provisions take effect.
Much of the confusion focused on two issues: whether Virginia’s long-delayed retail cannabis market had accidentally been moved up by a year and whether existing criminal penalties for marijuana possession and distribution involving people younger than 21 were still enforceable.
For much of the week, the lawmakers who wrote the budget language, along with state officials, sought to settle the matter. They said licensed retail sales will not begin until July 1, 2027, and that Virginia’s current criminal laws remain in effect until then.
Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Jeff Katz also publicly reaffirmed the agency’s enforcement position after questions arose from an internal email circulated earlier this week.
“VSP acknowledges that there have been rumors and questions pertaining to the agency’s posture on cannabis enforcement,” Katz said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “I would like to make it clear that the Virginia State Police will continue to enforce existing laws, in line with the Code of Virginia.”
Read more on virginiamercury.com
Copyright 2026 Virginia Mercury. All rights reserved.
CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. — A Caroline County grand jury has indicted four people on first-degree murder charges in connection with a double homicide after DNA evidence identified the second victim as Helen Marie Pullen Banks, a grandmother of six.
The same four suspects charged in the murder of 18-year-old Jayden McComber have now been indicted in the death of Banks, who was living in the Richmond area at the time she went missing. Investigators linked the two homicides early in the investigation through forensic evidence.
Caroline County Sheriff Scott Moser said investigators “have been working around the clock” for a break in the case “not only for the community, but for the victims as well.”
The medical examiner’s office in Richmond used DNA to identify the 56-year-old Banks after her remains were found in poor condition. Investigators confirmed her identity on July 7.
Banks, originally from Culpeper, had been living in the Richmond area where she was in rehab at the time she went missing, according to her family. She had a connection to at least one of the four suspects, according to Moser.
The four suspects — Devonti Gregory Pettaway, 20, of Chesterfield; Kennady Jade Lambert, 18, of Hopewell; Rashad Antonio Mayfield, 23, of Glen Allen; and Jaden Lamont Phillips, 19, of Richmond — now face charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with Banks’ death. The charges represent an upgrade from the second-degree murder charges the four originally faced in McComber’s death.
WATCH: Brother of suspect charged in murder of Hopewell teen Jayden McComber speaks out
Brother of suspect charged in murder of Hopewell teen Jayden McComber speaks out
Chief Deputy Travis Nutter outlined what investigators believe is the motive in McComber’s murder.
“We believe robbery to be the motive of the incident that happened with Jayden that ultimately led to his murder,” Nutter said.
As for the motive in Banks’ death, Nutter said investigators have not yet established one.
“There is no evidence to show that there was any sort of argument or disagreement between Ms. Banks or the four charged,” Nutter said.
Banks was a mother of five and grandmother of six. Moser said she had no known ties to Caroline County, and that her body, like McComber’s, appeared to have been brought there from another jurisdiction.
WATCH: Neighbor reacts as suspects arrested after 2 bodies found in Caroline County
Neighbor reacts as suspects arrested after 2 bodies found in Caroline County
McComber’s body was found in late March in a marshy area of Byrds Mill Pond near Sparta, near the Caroline and King and Queen County line. Banks’ remains were discovered about five miles away off Bagby Road. Investigators linked the two cases early on, in part because McComber’s AirTag had pinged about a mile and a half from where Banks’ remains were found.
Moser said the case has shaken the Sparta community but stressed that investigators moved quickly and that residents should feel reassured.
“Without a doubt this is a tremendous blow to the community,” Moser said. “When you come to this county and you do these types of crimes, we’re going to do everything we can to catch you… [We] are not used to these types of crimes being committed in Caroline.”
Moser credited a broad coalition of agencies for bringing the case to this point, including Commonwealth’s Attorney Ben Heidt, the medical examiner’s office, the U.S. Marshals Service and the broader community.
“Everyone has pulled together in a time of crisis; that’s what we do well here in Caroline,” Moser said. “We’ve had a lot of support from the community, a lot of information that’s been helpful in this investigation and that’s what community is all about.”
-
-
-
-
Eat It, Virginia! with Scott and Robey
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
-
-
Rhode Island5 minutes agoOur Favorite Write-Ins From the 2026 Best of Rhode Island Readers’ Poll – Rhode Island Monthly
-
South-Carolina12 minutes agoSouth Carolina National Guard lifts suspensions for pilots in July Fourth flyover
-
South Dakota15 minutes agoSouth Dakota T. rex could bring $30 million or more at auction
-
Tennessee20 minutes agoRescue teams pull kayakers and dog from Red River in Tennessee
-
Texas27 minutes agoFetus found deceased along Lewisville Lake shoreline was discarded intentionally, police say
-
Utah30 minutes agoTyler Robinson preliminary hearing expected to wrap up Friday – KSLNewsRadio
-
Washington34 minutes ago
Bengals 2026 Opponent Preview: Washington Commanders
-
Vermont35 minutes agoBeau Welling’s Stowe Country Club Revamp Signals New Vermont Golf Era
