Virginia Giuffre, a key figure in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, has released a memoir detailing her allegations against the late financier and his associate, Prince Andrew. The book, titled 'The Billionaire's Secret', recounts her experiences as a teenager recruited by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and includes claims of sexual encounters with the Duke of York.
The timeline of Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein began in the mid-1990s when he was introduced to the convicted paedophile through Maxwell. Their friendship grew over the years, with Andrew hosting Epstein at Balmoral in 1999 and attending parties together. In March 2001, Giuffre alleges she was flown to London to meet Andrew, and a photograph shows him with his arm around her waist. Andrew has vehemently denied any sexual contact.
Epstein's criminal activities came to light in 2005 when a 14-year-old girl's parents reported his molestation. He was charged in 2006 and later pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges in 2008, serving 13 months in jail. Despite his conviction, Andrew continued to associate with Epstein, including a 2010 visit to Epstein's New York mansion, which led to Andrew stepping down as UK trade envoy.
In 2015, Giuffre formally requested that Andrew respond to her allegations under oath, which he denied. Following Epstein's arrest in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, additional allegations emerged, including a claim that Andrew touched a young woman's breast at Epstein's home. Buckingham Palace dismissed this as 'categorically untrue'. Epstein's suicide in August 2019 left many questions unanswered, but Giuffre's memoir seeks to shed light on the scandal.
