Did Virginia Giuffre say Prince Andrew met her in Florida and when?
Executive summary
Virginia Giuffre has long alleged she met Prince Andrew in 2001 and has given dates and settings in court papers, interviews and, later, a posthumous memoir; she and filings point to March 2001 (with one specific date cited as 10 March 2001) and to meetings tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s Florida connections (including Mar‑a‑Lago) [1] [2] [3]. Prince Andrew has consistently denied remembering meeting Giuffre and, in a 2019 Newsnight interview, said he has “no recollection whatsoever” of meeting her or of sexual contact [4] [3].
1. What Giuffre has said, and where she put dates
Virginia Giuffre’s allegations first surfaced in 2014/2015 court filings asserting that Epstein trafficked her to prominent men including Prince Andrew; those filings and later public accounts describe meetings around 2001 and reference an early‑March 2001 encounter [1] [2]. In her posthumous memoir and published excerpts, Giuffre recounts being recruited at Mar‑a‑Lago and describes a meeting with Andrew in March 2001—some coverage quotes a specific date of 10 March 2001—and says Epstein took the photograph that became central to the dispute [5] [2] [3].
2. The Florida connection Giuffre and others report
Multiple accounts say Giuffre’s entry into Epstein’s circle began at Florida locations, including Mar‑a‑Lago, and that Epstein transported and hosted girls at his Florida properties; Giuffre’s memoir excerpts repeat that she met Epstein and Maxwell via Mar‑a‑Lago and that at least some encounters and the famous photograph have Florida provenance, including a Walgreens time‑stamp on a print tied to March 2001 [1] [5] [2].
3. Prince Andrew’s response and official denials
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations. In his 2019 Newsnight interview he said he had “no recollection whatsoever” of meeting Giuffre and suggested the photograph might have been doctored; that denial remains a key plank of his public defence [4] [3]. Subsequent reporting and released documents — notably emails from Jeffrey Epstein — have been presented by some outlets as contradicting Andrew’s public statements about the photo and his meetings, but Andrew’s stated position of non‑recollection is on record [4] [6].
4. Documentary evidence and disputes about the photo and timing
Reporting highlights a contested evidentiary trail: the back of the disputed photo reportedly carries a date stamp tied to a March 2001 development, and leaked Epstein emails include lines saying Giuffre “was on my plane and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew,” which some outlets cite as corroboration; defenders of Andrew have argued the image or context might be doctored or misrepresented, while prosecutors, Giuffre’s team and various media outlets treat the timestamp and emails as significant [1] [4] [6].
5. Legal filings and a settlement, not a criminal conviction
Giuffre pressed civil claims in U.S. courts (a 2015 Florida filing and later New York litigation) alleging Epstein trafficked her to Prince Andrew; that New York civil case was settled in February 2022 for an undisclosed sum, with Andrew denying liability as part of the settlement terms [1] [3]. Available sources do not detail a criminal conviction of Prince Andrew stemming from Giuffre’s allegations (not found in current reporting).
6. Competing narratives and how outlets treat the timeline
Mainstream outlets covered both Giuffre’s precise dating (March 2001; sometimes 10 March 2001 in memoir excerpts) and Andrew’s blanket denials; conservative and tabloid outlets emphasize leaked emails undermining Andrew’s denials, while other outlets emphasise his consistent public statement of non‑recollection and the legal settlement context. Some pieces highlight that Giuffre’s memoir and court filings align on timing; other reports emphasise unresolved factual disputes about the photograph’s provenance [6] [5] [3].
7. What the available sources don’t settle
Available sources document Giuffre’s assertions about meeting Andrew in Florida‑linked contexts in March 2001 and provide documentary leads (photo timestamp, Epstein emails) that supporters of her claims call corroboration; however, the sources also show Prince Andrew’s categorical lack of memory and his contention the image may be doctored. They do not provide a court adjudication establishing the precise timing of any particular meeting beyond Giuffre’s sworn statements and her memoir [4] [1] [3].
Bottom line: Giuffre has publicly and in sworn filings placed a first encounter with Prince Andrew in March 2001 (commonly cited as 10 March 2001 in memoir excerpts) and ties that narrative to Florida sites and Epstein’s photo; Prince Andrew disputes recollection and has denied wrongdoing, and reporting highlights documentary claims that proponents say corroborate Giuffre while opponents question authenticity [2] [1] [4].