Jeffrey Epstein's abuse survivor Virginia Giuffre 'defended Prince Andrew in FBI tapes', embattled royal's ex tells LBC
12 May 2025, 15:20 | Updated: 13 May 2025, 12:14
It's 'completely reckless' to blame Prince Andrew for Virginia Giuffre's death, his ex lover has told LBC, alleging there's hours of phone call recordings where Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse victim defends the embattled royal.
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Ms Giuffre sued Prince Andrew for sexual abuse in August 2021 in a bombshell claim that send shockwaves through the nation.
She alleged that the Duke of York had sex with her when she was 17 and had been trafficked by his friend - billionaire paedophile and disgraced businessman Epstein.
Prince Andrew denied all claims Giuffre previously lodged against him, reaching an out-of-court settlement with her in 2022.
But according to Lady Victoria Hervey, Andrew's now 48-year-old ex lover, Ms Giuffre had actually said herself that "nothing happened with Andrew".
She told LBC's Tom Swarbrick: "The fact is, we have phone recordings of a conversation.. I have hours of tape which the FBI has... of Virginia Giuffre in phone recordings saying nothing happened with Andrew."
You can listen to the full interview with LBC's Tom Swarbrick from 17:30pm on the LBC app.
Lady Hervey alleged that the FBI currently owns the tape, and she is "giving them another week or two to see if they're going to release it."
'She had a really messed up life'
Ms Giuffre was known for being one of the first people to call for criminal charges against Jeffrey Epstein.]
She died by suicide at age 41 last month.
According to Lady Hervey, Ms Giuffre suffered abuse her whole life which she says contributed to her eventual death.
That's why it's "reckless" to blame Prince Andrew for her death.
She said: "This girl had been abused since she was six or seven.
"She was a prostitute for a pimp at age 11. She had a really, really messed up life."
Asked why she was so keen on defending Andrew, Lady Hervey said it's "about the Queen being screwed over".
"It's about this country being screwed over," she added.
Johanna Sjoberg became the second woman to come forward with sexual abuse allegations against Andrew
She claimed in court depositions that she was groped by Prince Andrew after being introduced to him the his paedophile friend Epstein.
The 42-year-old released a heartfelt statement to mourn the death of Giuffre.
In a moving statement, Sjoberg said "it could have been any of us", and that many of Epstein's alleged victims fall into the trap of drugs, prostitution and suicide.
"Suicide, drugs and overdose, prostitution, prison," Johanna said. "I can, with full certainty, say that it is only by the Grace of God I've found a different path."
Sjoberg, who was working as Epstein's personal assistant when he allegedly abused her, added: "My faith, my family, and friendships get me through each day."
"It's not about me, but it is about me, how it could have been me, could have been any of us, really," she said.
Ms Giuffre’s family told NBC News following her death : "It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia.
"She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking."
The FBI declined to comment.
LBC has approached Buckingham Palace.
