Washington: Prominent Jeffrey Epstein survivor and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor accuser Virginia Giuffre has been hailed as a hero who changed the world at a memorial to mark a year since her death, as advocates prepare for the imminent US visit of King Charles.
A small crowd gathered in Washington’s National Mall, just a block from the White House, on Saturday (US time) to honour Giuffre, who died by suicide on Anzac Day last year at her farm north of Perth. She was 41.
Her younger brother, Sky Roberts, who with his wife, Amanda, has become a key voice demanding reform of sex-trafficking laws and the release of all the so-called Epstein files, read a letter to his sister from the stage.
“I want you to know: you changed the world, sis,” he said. “Your survivor sisters, your friends, your family and thousands of amazing survivors from all walks of life – they continue to change the world and refuse to stay silent because you showed us the way, and we carry your torch with honour.”
Democrats have introduced a bill to Congress, dubbed Virginia’s Law, that would remove the statute of limitations for adult survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims against their abusers.
Giuffre accused the late American financier Epstein of trafficking her to King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, when she was 17.
Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied the allegations and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. He has said he had no recollection of meeting Giuffre.
The former prince was stripped of his remaining royal titles and honours as the fallout from the release of the Epstein files intensified, and this year was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was released but remains under investigation.
Addressing the crowd in Washington, Arisha Hatch, executive director of social justice lobby group UltraViolet, said the group would launch a new initiative, the Epstein Accountability Project, in coming days, probably during the King’s visit.
The project’s aim was “to make sure the individuals and institutions that enabled the largest child sex abuse network of our lifetime face accountability”, she said.
Sky and Amanda Roberts have called for the King to meet with them and survivors of Epstein’s abuse while he is in the US. Democratic congressman Ro Khanna had also requested the King meet with survivors during his visit.
However, through their lawyers, the King and Queen said they were unable to hold the meeting due to “ongoing police inquiries”.
Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin told the memorial that Giuffre was a leader whose legacy sat alongside the contributions of America’s great civil rights activists.
“Generations to come will marvel at her toughness and celebrate her personal conviction and her moral determination to change American society and to change the world,” he said.
“She is now not just a hero to this movement, but she is a hero to the ages who dwells with other great leaders and heroes of history, like Dolores Huerta, like Rosa Parks and like Frederick Douglass.”
Giuffre’s friend and publicist Dini Von Mueffling said Giuffre was the most extraordinary person she had ever met, fondly recalling their long international phone calls during COVID lockdowns.
She said she wished Giuffre had been alive to see the introduction of Virginia’s Law and Mountbatten-Windsor lose his remaining privileges. “Gloating was not her thing. Justice and accountability were,” she said.
Before her death, Giuffre accused her estranged Australian husband, Robert, of years of physical and emotional abuse.
He pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge involving a 2015 incident, 60 Minutes reported.
He has denied the abuse allegations through lawyers, and this year sent a concerns notice to 60 Minutes, the first step in defamation proceedings.
Von Mueffling told the memorial in Washington that “there was a cost to fighting the good fight”.
“While she escaped Epstein and his cohort, she wound up with a man who at first protected her but also betrayed her, in spite of having three children together.”
In the crowd, Hannah Holden, who was visiting Washington from Brazil, and works for an organisation that supports survivors of sexual harm and domestic violence, said she felt compelled to attend the memorial.
“She’s fearless, and she deserves so much more, she deserves justice, she deserves all the love in the world,” Holden said.
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Michael Koziol is the North America correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Sydney editor, Sun-Herald deputy editor and a federal political reporter in Canberra.Connect via X or email.