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Memoir by Prince Andrew's accuser reignites a scandal that has long dogged UK royals

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Memoir by Prince Andrew's accuser reignites a scandal that has long dogged UK royals
ENT

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Memoir by Prince Andrew's accuser reignites a scandal that has long dogged UK royals

2025-10-22 01:17 Last Updated At:01:20

LONDON (AP) — The British royal family is once again under intense scrutiny as a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, one of the most outspoken accusers of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, hits bookstores Tuesday.

“Nobody’s Girl” is being published posthumously after Giuffre died by suicide in April.

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The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" sits on a shelf amongst other books and is up for sale at a book store in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" sits on a shelf amongst other books and is up for sale at a book store in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen amongst other books in a store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen amongst other books in a store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

FILE - Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - Prince Andrew looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Prince Andrew looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

Giuffre had for years accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on multiple occasions when she was under 18 years old and a victim of sexual trafficking by convicted sex offender Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

While her book doesn't break new ground, it has thrown fuel on a series of new accusations against Andrew, who is trying to control the damage to the monarchy from the long-running scandal over his friendship with Epstein.

The 65-year-old prince said last week that he will stop using his titles, including Duke of York, but reiterated that he “vigorously” denies Giuffre’s claims.

In her book — which leapt to No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list on Monday before its publication — Giuffre recounts details of how she first met Andrew in March 2001, and says the royal’s staff tried to hire “internet trolls” to hassle her when she sued him years later.

Giuffre long alleged that she was recruited at age 16 by Epstein and Maxwell, who introduced her to Andrew in London in March 2001 when she was 17. She said she was forced to have sex with the royal on three separate occasions.

She wrote that on the day she first met Andrew, Maxwell woke her up and told her it was going to be a special day and that “just like Cinderella” she will meet “a handsome prince."

She said when they met, the prince told her that “my daughters are just a little younger than you." She said Maxwell instructed her to “do for him what you do for Jeffrey," adding: “I knew better than to question her orders.” She said that Epstein gave her $15,000 soon after for having sex with Andrew.

Giuffre wrote that she had sex with the royal a second time at Epstein’s house in New York about a month later, and a third time on Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean along with about eight other girls who she said all appeared to be under 18.

Giuffre previously detailed how Epstein, Maxwell and Andrew allegedly forced her to have sex with the prince against her will in a lawsuit that she filed New York in 2021.

Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, Andrew did acknowledge Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking and agreed to make a donation to her charity.

Of that settlement, Giuffre wrote: “After casting doubt on my credibility for so long — Prince Andrew’s team had even gone so far as to try to hire internet trolls to hassle me — the Duke of York owed me a meaningful apology as well.”

“We would never get a confession, of course. That’s what settlements are designed to avoid,” she added. “But we were trying for the next best thing: a general acknowledgment of what I’d been through.”

Andrew, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, had already stepped down from all of his public duties and charity roles in 2019, after an attempt to dispel reports about his friendship with Epstein backfired badly.

The prince was widely criticized for the BBC interview, in which he offered unbelievable explanations for his continued relationship with the disgraced financier. He also denied that he had ever met Giuffre or had sexual contact with her, and said he had “absolutely no memory” of a now infamous photograph showing him with his arm around her waist in 2001.

Andrew also said in the same interview that he had cut off contact with Epstein in December 2010.

Last week, British newspapers published an email that purportedly showed that the royal had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he had admitted. In the note, reportedly from Feb. 28, 2011, Andrew wrote they were “in this together” and would “have to rise above it.”

Separately, London’s Metropolitan Police force said that it was looking into a report in the Mail on Sunday that Andrew in 2011 asked one of his police bodyguards to find out if Giuffre had a criminal record.

Buckingham Palace and the U.K. government are under pressure to formally strip Andrew of his dukedom and princely title, and kick him out the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where he lives.

On Tuesday, lawmakers from the Scottish National Party lodged a parliamentary motion calling for legislation to officially remove Andrew's titles.

“It’s about time Prince Andrew took himself off to live in private and make his own way in life," said Conservative lawmaker Robert Jenrick. “He has disgraced himself, he has embarrassed the royal family time and again."

Ghostwriter Amy Wallace, who cowrote the memoir, said Andrew also should agree to testify in the U.S. about what he knew of Epstein's crimes.

Giuffre “deserves all credit for whatever role she played in forcing Prince Andrew to relinquish a few more of his titles,” Wallace told the BBC. "But she deserves all credit even more than that for being brave enough to stand up to say, ‘This isn’t right.’”

An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect name for writer Amy Wallace.

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen in a book store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" sits on a shelf amongst other books and is up for sale at a book store in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" sits on a shelf amongst other books and is up for sale at a book store in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen amongst other books in a store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The memoir book of Virginia Giuffre, "Nobody's Girl" is seen amongst other books in a store and is up for sale in London, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 six months after Giuffre died by suicide in April.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

FILE - Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

FILE - Prince Andrew looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Prince Andrew looks round as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona's 11-game winning streak ended Sunday with a 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad in the Spanish league.

Barcelona had three goals disallowed — as well as a penalty-kick call reversed by video review — in the first half alone. It had five attempts hit the woodwork, including an 84th-minute header by Jules Koundé from close range.

The loss left the Catalan club one point ahead of second-place Real Madrid, which beat Levante 2-0 at home on Saturday.

Mikel Oyarzabal put the hosts ahead with a volley by the far post in the 32nd minute. Barcelona equalized with a header from Marcus Rashford in the 70th but a minute later Gonçalo Guedes put Sociedad ahead again with a shot from inside the area.

Barcelona had plenty of chances throughout the match. It thought it had taken the lead a few minutes into the game when Fermín López scored with a low shot from outside the area, but the goal was disallowed by video review for a foul by Dani Olmo on Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo in the buildup.

Barcelona also had a goal by Frenkie de Jong called back for offside in the 21st and another by Lamine Yamal in the 27th.

Yamal was awarded a penalty in first-half stoppage time but the call was reversed because he was offside.

Sociedad's Carlos Soler was sent off in the 88th.

Barcelona had won 11 in a row across all competitions in a streak that included a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia last weekend. It hadn't lost since a 3-0 road defeat against Chelsea in the league phase of the Champions League.

Its last Spanish league loss had been a 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the first clasico of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in October.

It was the second consecutive win for Sociedad, which moved to eighth place.

Barcelona forward Raphinha was not included in the squad for Sunday's match. João Cancelo made his debut off the bench in the second half after recently signing with the Catalan club.

Kubo had to be taken off the field on a stretcher in the second half because of an injury.

Alexander Sorloth scored early in the second half to give Atletico Madrid a 1-0 home win over relegation-threatened Alaves.

Sorloth struck in the 48th minute with a firm header from near the penalty spot after Pablo Barrios crossed from the right flank. The ball hit the post at the far corner before going in.

It was the 10th start in 19 league games for Sorloth this season. The Norway forward has six goals, three with headers.

Alaves, winless in five straight league games, came close to equalizing a few times late in the match at the Metropolitano stadium in the Spanish capital.

Alaves has seven losses in its last nine league games, with its only win, 1-0, against Real Sociedad in December.

Earlier Sunday, Valencia moved out of the relegation zone by winning 1-0 at Getafe with an 84th-minute goal by José Gayà.

The result ended Valencia's six-game winless streak in the league. Getafe is now winless in six consecutive league games, with five losses.

Celta Vigo routed 10-man Rayo Vallecano 3-0 at home. The visitors played with 10 men from the 66th after Nobel Mendy was sent off for a hard foul after VAR review.

It was the third win in a row for Celta, which is seventh. Rayo is 13th.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo is transported off the pitch during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo is transported off the pitch during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's Eric Garcia, centre, kicks the ball ahead of Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal, left, and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's Eric Garcia, centre, kicks the ball ahead of Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal, left, and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, in action during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, in action during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Sociedad's Goncalo Guedes, right, celebrates with Real Sociedad's Alvaro Odriozola after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Sociedad's Goncalo Guedes, right, celebrates with Real Sociedad's Alvaro Odriozola after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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