The emergence of a previously unseen photograph showing the infamous Spitting Image puppet of Prince Andrew represents a 'partial-vindication' for his accusers, Virginia Giuffre and Johanna Sjoberg, a royal source has claimed. The image, released as part of a vast trove of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, is said to deepen the ongoing scandal for the disgraced royal and Buckingham Palace.
Photographic Evidence from the Epstein Files
The picture forms part of the 300,000 documents made public last Friday, known as the Epstein Files. It shows the latex puppet, modelled on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, propped on a sofa in the background of a photograph featuring convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell is pictured wearing a flight suit in the image, taken inside paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion.
For 15 years, Johanna Sjoberg has consistently alleged that Prince Andrew used this specific puppet to grope both her and Virginia Giuffre during a visit to Epstein's £60 million Manhattan home in 2001. Sjoberg, then 21, claims Andrew placed the puppet's hand on Giuffre's breast and his own hand on hers while they sat on a couch. Giuffre, who was 17 at the time, later corroborated this account, writing in her book that she 'giggled away' when Andrew 'cupped my breast with a doll made in his image'.
Accusers' Accounts and Royal Repercussions
A royal insider told the Daily Mail that the release of this photograph, situated in the very location where the alleged assault occurred, lends crucial credibility to the women's stories. 'This picture of the puppet seems to at least partially vindicate the late Virginia Giuffre and Johanna Sjoberg’s accounts,' the source stated. They warned that the 'steady drip, drip' of evidence from the files 'is creating a real headache for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and for the Royal Household'.
The source emphasised that the threat of future legal action from Epstein's victims is not over for Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles and military affiliations this year. 'There is still a danger that the threat of future legal action involving some of Epstein’s victims is not over for Andrew,' the insider said. 'This is a scandal that just won’t go away.'
Denials and Ongoing Fallout
Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing or any sexual activity with Giuffre or any of Epstein's accusers. He settled a civil sexual assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre in 2022 for a reported £12 million, without admission of liability.
Johanna Sjoberg, who began working for Epstein in 2001, testified under oath about the puppet incident in a 2016 deposition. She has previously stated her willingness to testify against Andrew if it aided an FBI investigation. Following Virginia Giuffre's death in May, Sjoberg released a poignant statement, suggesting it 'could have been any of us' victims of Epstein's abuse.
The released document cache also includes other depraved scenes from Epstein's properties and countless images, keeping the focus firmly on the network surrounding the convicted sex offender and ensuring continued scrutiny of those associated with him, including the Duke of York.
