Prince Andrew's team attempted to recruit "internet trolls to hassle" Virginia Giuffre while he evaded legal papers from behind the "well-guarded gates" of Balmoral Castle, according to allegations in her posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl.
Giuffre, who died by suicide in April aged 41, wrote of the 2022 confidential settlement of her sexual abuse civil claim against the Duke of York that her lawyers "were going to ask for the moon". She added: "After casting doubt on my credibility for so long – Prince Andrew's team had even gone so far as to try to hire internet trolls to hassle me – the Duke of York owed me a meaningful apology as well."
The memoir, published on Tuesday, comes as growing pressure mounts for Prince Andrew to be formally stripped of his titles. Last week he announced he would no longer use his Duke of York or Knight of the Order of the Garter titles, though they remain extant but inactive. Downing Street has declined to comment on possible legislation, stating it is "a matter for the palace in the first instance".
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police is "actively" investigating claims that Andrew passed Giuffre's date of birth and social security number to his police protection officer in an attempt to gather material for a smear campaign. The claims were reported in the Mail on Sunday. A Buckingham Palace source described the allegations as of "very serious and grave concern" and said they should be "examined in the appropriate way".
Giuffre repeats her allegations that she was forced to have sex with the prince on three occasions, including when she was 17, after being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew has vehemently denied all allegations. In her book, Giuffre also claims her legal case was strengthened by Andrew's disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, which she described as "an injection of jet fuel" for her legal team, potentially opening the door to subpoenaing his ex-wife and daughters.
