Giuffre was one of the most outspoken victims of the disgraced U.S. financier Epstein, alleging she had been groomed and s**ually abused by him and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, beginning in her teenage years.
In 2021, Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in the federal court in New York, alleging he s**ually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17. Prince Andrew has repeatedly and strongly denied the accusations.
The Duke of York defended himself in a 2019 interview with the BBC, stating: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever. It just never happened.”
Following backlash from the interview, Prince Andrew announced that he would be stepping back from public duties.
In 2022, it was announced that Giuffre and the duke had reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum.
Now, Giuffre’s family has confirmed news of the 41-year-old’s passing in a statement.
A statement released on Saturday revealed that Virginia Giuffre, a U.S. native, tragically took her own life at her farm in Western Australia, where she had been living for several years.
With deep sorrow, her family shared, “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia. She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and trafficking.”
The statement continued, “In the end, the burden of this abuse became too much for Virginia to bear.”
Her family described her as a “fierce warrior” against sexual abuse and trafficking, and a “light that lifted so many survivors.”
“Despite the immense struggles she faced, Virginia shone brightly. She will be missed beyond measure,” the statement read.
Her lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, expressed that Giuffre was “so much more than a client.”
“She was a dear friend and an extraordinary champion for other victims. Her bravery inspired me to fight harder, and her strength was truly remarkable,” McCawley said. “The world has lost an incredible person today. Rest in peace, my sweet angel.”
Western Australian police have not officially confirmed Giuffre’s death but reported that emergency services responded to a call around 9:50 p.m. on Friday regarding a 41-year-old woman who was found unresponsive at her home. Despite receiving emergency first aid, she was later pronounced dead.
The cause of death is under investigation, though it is not currently deemed suspicious.
Earlier in the month, Giuffre shared a post on Instagram revealing she had been seriously injured in a car accident, which her family later stated was not meant to be made public. In the post, she mentioned that she only had a few days left to live.
WA police later confirmed that a 41-year-old woman had been in a car involved in a collision with a bus on March 24, though no injuries were reported. It is believed that Giuffre sought treatment at a Perth emergency hospital on April 1.
