Palace Announcement on Prince Andrew Seen as 'Justification' for Giuffre, States Relatives
This momentous statement from Buckingham Palace removing Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his royal status is regarded as an "recognition" that events occurred to the late Virginia Giuffre, her family have expressed.
Through its announcement on Thursday, the royal establishment indicated that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – as he is now known – will also leave his residence in Windsor, Royal Lodge, as his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy.
The statement concluded with: “The King and Queen aim to emphasize that their considerations and utmost sympathies have been and will remain with the affected individuals and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Family Reaction: Acknowledgment and Accountability
Asked whether the statement suggested that King Charles trusts Virginia over Andrew, her brother Sky Roberts said: “Without a doubt, I think that he’s speaking very clearly in that statement when he says he’s with those affected out there.
“This is an admission that something occurred, something has happened. There has been a shift,” he noted.
A family member, Amanda Roberts, commented: “To put that acknowledgment out for victims is huge. It's unprecedented that from anyone, and to acknowledge that there are affected individuals in this situation is an acknowledgment that wrongdoing did occur.
“It is the very first step for that resolution for survivors. Primarily the admission that something went on here. This involved genuine suffering that affected these young girls.”
In a posthumous memoir, Giuffre – who passed away recently – repeated allegations that, in her youth, she had intimate relations with Mountbatten Windsor on multiple instances. The Duke has consistently refuted any wrongdoing. He settled a legal dispute with Giuffre for a estimated £12m with no admission of liability.
She characterized the announcement by the royal family as a “victory” and “vindication for our sister”.
“We’re just so exceptionally proud of her, but then the sorrow strikes because one hopes she was here to experience this moment alongside her – a time that she has been waiting for, for a very long time,” she added.
Support Organizations Respond: Significant Message for Victims
Women’s rights campaigners and support organizations likewise welcomed the move by the royal family, with some indicating it sent an important signal to those affected of abuse.
A representative, head of Refuge, stated it was “highly impactful to see survivors recognised so explicitly in a announcement from the palace”, adding that it sent a signal that “victims are important, that their ordeals are believed, and that they deserve to be at the heart of national conversations about abuse”.
Penny East, the director at the Fawcett Society, said “it is a welcome recognition that the real victims here are not discomfited officials or fallen royals, but the women and girls who were abused by privileged, prejudiced men.”
Nonetheless, she added: “Stripping a honor, or moving house can not be considered true accountability or adequate consequence. In fact, one brave woman, Virginia Giuffre, has passed away. It was a terrible tragedy, and a reminder of the profound impact abuse has on women and girls.”
Honoring Virginia Giuffre: A "Strong Warrior"
Portraying Giuffre’s character and pursuit of truth, Sky expressed she was a “strong warrior” who could also be playful and goofy.
“Here we have an regular individual from an typical background that did something remarkable and I think this is something the global community should be proud of.
“Giuffre was this strong warrior who stood her ground and spoke out courageously and now we are at last getting that recognition that she indeed represented a world hero.”
The palace offered no response.