David Boies (second right) has represented several of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims, including Virginia Giuffre (second left) and Annie Farmer (right). Photo / Getty Images, Mark Kauzlarich / Bloomberg
David Boies (second right) has represented several of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims, including Virginia Giuffre (second left) and Annie Farmer (right). Photo / Getty Images, Mark Kauzlarich / Bloomberg
Prince Andrew settled with Giuffre for an estimated $20 million in 2022, denying all allegations.
Giuffre, a key accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, died by suicide last week in Perth, Australia.
The Duke of York should “just come clean” and “say sorry”, Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says.
David Boies, who represented Giuffre in her civil sex abuse claim against Prince Andrew, said that he and his client had always hoped the Duke would take that “next step”.
“If he wants redemption, if he wants forgiveness, he’s got to take responsibility for what happened,” he said.
The Duke of York reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022, avoiding a jury trial on claims that he sexually abused and raped her on three separate occasions when she was 17.
He paid her an estimated US$12 million ($20m) but has always denied the allegations, insisting he had no recollection of meeting her.
Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, when she says she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew, among others. Photo / Getty Images, Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service
Giuffre, 41, died by suicide at her home in Perth, Western Australia, last week. The mother of three had been one of the most prominent accusers of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and was credited with his downfall.
Boies said that following her death, the Duke should “do the right thing”.
“I’d like to have him say, ‘I’m sorry’,” he told Piers Morgan Uncensored. “He sort of said that, but I’d like him to be more direct about that.
“He may not remember that it was Virginia, but he can’t forget the event. And he needs, I think, to just come clean.”
In a statement filed through the New York court as part of the settlement deal, the Duke pledged to “demonstrate his regret” for his association with Epstein by supporting the “fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims”.
The statement said: “Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.
“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.”
Boies said that with the statement, the Duke had come “pretty close” to accepting responsibility, describing it as a step in the right direction.
‘It’s not too late for him’
“I think I hoped, and I think Virginia hoped, that he would take the next step as well,” he said. “It’s not too late, for him or for anyone.”
Boies said that even if the Duke did not remember what had happened, he needed to recognise that he “clearly” had sex with young girls with Epstein.
“He needs, I think, to just come clean… Continuing to deny he didn’t know he’d never met [Ms Giuffre], he had had nothing to do with her. That’s not productive. It’s also not right.”
Asked whether the King should intervene and urge the Duke to speak out, Boies said: “I think family should urge family to do the right thing. Family is very important here.”
The lawyer acknowledged Prince Andrew was in a difficult position and faced the prospect, albeit unlikely, of a criminal investigation if he made any kind of admission.
He also conceded that any public acknowledgment of her death would likely backfire.
“I think we have to recognise how complicated it would be for him to say anything at this point,” Boies said. “On the one hand, I think he will be criticised for not saying something; on the other hand, almost everything he said would probably be attacked.”
Boies said he felt sadness, anger and regret on Giuffre’s death.
“Without her courage, Jeffrey Epstein would probably still be abusing young girls,” he said.
He revealed that when he first met Giuffre he made her take a lie detector test to test her claims before going on to work on her case for free.
