Amy Wallace, the co-author of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl, has spoken out about Prince Andrew renouncing his royal titles and honours and how she would be elated that he has been “held to account”
Virginia Giuffre’s ghostwriter has spoken out about Prince Andrew renouncing his royal titles, claiming Ms Giuffre would see the move as a “victory”.
Amy Wallace, the co-author of Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl, spoke out as the highly-anticipated book was released tpdau, welcoming the news that Andrew was starting to see his “life eroded” in the wake of the years of allegations of his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at the age of 41, wrote in her memoir that she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times, which he has vehemently denied.
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As allegations of Andrew’s years-long friendship with Epstein continue to come to light, he announced on Friday that he – as well as his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – would be renouncing their royal titles as the rumours continue to “distract” from the work of the royal family.
Ms Wallace spoke of the decision to strip Andrew of his titles, telling Newsnight that she can “speak for Virginia”, saying: “I know that she would view it as a victory that he was forced, by whatever means, to voluntarily give them up.”
“For many, maybe particularly in the United States, but maybe even in the UK, it’s a symbolic gesture, but it’s an important one. It’s made history, modern history, in terms of the royal era. I mean it… I’ve never heard of such a thing happening, and it is also just a step in the right direction.”
“You know, Virginia wanted all the men who she’d been trafficked to against her will to be held to account. And this is just one of the men, but he is being forced to, even though he continues to deny it, his life is being eroded because of his past behaviour, as it should be.”
Prince Andrew announced on Friday that he would be renouncing his royal titles and honours in a bombshell statement issued by Buckingham Palace, as he said: “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family .
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
Andrew will retain his title of Prince, as he is entitled to as per his birth right. The titles and honours he will no longer use include his wedding day titles – The Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh; his Knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO); his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
He will also not be able to wear the Garter robes he was seen in at Charles’s coronation. Although Andrew is relinquishing his dukedom, he still technically retains it – and it can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.
