The former husband and daughter of the late Virginia Giuffre, a prominent figure in the Jeffery Epstein scandal, have officially become part of the legal battle over her estate. Following her tragic death last year, which garnered significant media attention due to her association with Prince Andrew, a court case is now underway to determine the distribution of her reported £12m estate, including a settlement from Prince Andrew.
Supreme Court Justice Natalie Whitby recently ruled that Robert Giuffre and their minor daughter be included in the legal proceedings alongside Ms. Giuffre’s adult sons. The deceased did not leave a formal will, leading to a dispute over who should manage her estate.
Barrister Karrie Louden and former caregiver Cheryl Myers contest that Ms. Giuffre had expressed her wishes informally before her passing and should therefore be appointed as administrators of the estate. A hearing earlier this year discussed the addition of Mr. Giuffre and the daughter to the legal claim, with the goal of appointing an independent guardian for the minor to avoid conflicts.
The recent orders from Judge Whitby mean that the estranged husband and daughter are now named as defendants in the case, alongside the adult sons. The legal proceedings are set to continue in Perth on July 3 for a case management conference.
The dispute centers on whether the informal document outlining Ms. Giuffre’s wishes is legally valid, who should oversee the estate, and how it should be managed. Court documents indicate that the sons believe the informal instructions should not be considered the official will, while Louden and Myers argue that they should be recognized as executors and trustees based on Ms. Giuffre’s alleged written statement.
Virginia Giuffre’s estate, which includes settlements related to her trafficking allegations by Epstein and the payment from Prince Andrew, has yet to be fully evaluated. Prince Andrew has consistently denied her accusations. Additionally, pressure mounts on Buckingham Palace regarding alleged emails from years ago implicating Prince Andrew in sharing confidential information during his time as a trade envoy.
Calls for an inquiry into Prince Andrew’s activities and connections to Jeffrey Epstein have gained traction following recent revelations. The Palace has refrained from commenting due to an ongoing police investigation into Prince Andrew.