The Hill February 19, 2026

Giuffre Family 'Broken Hearts Lifted' by Andrew's Arrest

Key Takeaways

▶ Virginia Giuffre's family said Thursday their 'broken hearts have been lifted' following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest.
▶ The family statement declared 'no one is above the law' in response to the former prince's detention.
▶ Giuffre alleged Andrew sexually abused her after Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her as a teenager.

The family of Virginia Giuffre released a statement Thursday saying their “broken hearts have been lifted” following the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, on his 66th birthday.¹

“At last, today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty,” Giuffre’s siblings wrote in the statement, shared with multiple news outlets.¹² The statement was issued by Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson on behalf of their late sister.

“On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the U.K.’s Thames Valley Police for their investigation, and the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” the family said, adding: “He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”²

Background on the Arrest

Thames Valley Police arrested a “man in his 60s from Norfolk” on Feb. 19, 2026, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.³ The BBC later identified the man as Mountbatten-Windsor after photographs showed officers arriving at his home on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.³

The arrest stemmed from emails released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files indicating that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential government reports with Epstein in 2010 while serving as a British trade envoy.³ King Charles responded the same day, stating the law “must take its course.”⁴

Giuffre’s Allegations and Legal Battle

Giuffre alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor sexually abused her on three separate occasions when she was 17, after Epstein trafficked her to the former prince.¹ She filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in U.S. federal court in August 2021. Andrew denied the allegations and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in February 2022 for an undisclosed sum — reported by British media at approximately 12 million pounds.⁵

Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages in January 2022. In October 2025, he was further stripped of his honors, styles and remaining royal titles.⁵

Giuffre’s Death and Legacy

Giuffre died by suicide on April 25, 2025, at age 41 at her farm in Western Australia.⁶ Her family announced the death in a statement: “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away.”⁶

Giuffre was one of the earliest and most prominent survivors to speak publicly against Epstein and his associates. She testified during the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in December 2021 on five counts related to sex trafficking of minors and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.⁵ Giuffre told the court she had been recruited at age 16 to give massages to Epstein at his Palm Beach estate.

In an interview with the BBC following Thursday’s arrest, Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts called the arrest a “surreal moment” and a “win” for survivors, adding he hoped it would lead to further investigations.²

Broader Context

The arrest followed the release of millions of pages of documents under court orders and the Epstein Transparency Act, which mandated a federal review of Epstein-related records.⁷ Sigrid McCawley, an attorney who represented Giuffre, called the arrest “a monumental moment in the Epstein survivor’s relentless pursuit of justice.”²

Thursday’s statement marked the first public comment from the Giuffre family since the arrest was announced.¹