A BITTER legal battle looms over Prince Andrew’s £12million pay-off to his tragic sex abuse accuser in the wake of her sudden death.
The Royal outcast, 65, reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre in 2022 after she claimed she was trafficked to have sex with him on three occasions when she was just 17.
GettyVirginia Roberts Giuffre tragically died at the age of 41[/caption]
AFPA young Virginia pictured with Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell[/caption]
PAVirginia sued the Duke of York in 2021, claiming she was trafficked and forced to have sex with him on three occasions[/caption]
The controversial bridging loan – authorised by King Charles – is now set to be at the centre of a major court fight between her estranged husband and her grief-stricken family in the US.
Sources said Robert Giuffre, who has custody of their three young children, remains her next of kin despite the couple splitting after 22 years of marriage.
But Ms Giuffre’s siblings are desperate to protect her legacy in the ongoing fight against global sex abuse.
A source said: “Virginia was in the process of divorcing Robert when she died, but it was far from finalised.
“That means he is entitled to her entire estate as the legal next of kin.
“Her family are determined to make sure that never happens and will contest any claim he makes.”
They added: “It’s tragic – even in death she can’t escape Prince Andrew.”
Ms Giuffre’s body was discovered at her remote farm north of Perth, Australia, on Friday night.
In a statement her family said she had committed suicide.
Despite making plans for the future she was due to appear in court next month after Robert accused her of breaching a restraining order banning her from contacting him or their three children.
She had also moved out of the family’s £900,000 beachside mansion in Perth.
Her lawyer, Karrie Louden, told The Sun: “They hadn’t actually divorced, so I guess Robert would be her next of kin.
“We don’t even know if there’s a will. This is one of many, many, many questions.
“If we had these answers, it would make things a lot easier for everybody, but we just don’t.”
It is likely her estate will be made the subject of probate Down Under with interested parties entitled to claim a share of her estate.
Instagram/virginiarobertsrising11Virginia pictured with her estranged husband Robert[/caption]
Robert currently has custody of their three children
Another source said: “No one expected this so there’s a huge amount of work taking place to sort out her affairs but it’s clear – will or no will – it’s going to head to the courts.”
Ms Giuffre alleged she was trafficked to have sex with the Duke of York in London, New York and his billionaire pal Jeffrey Epstein‘s Caribbean lair Little St James, dubbed “paedo island”.
The Prince has always denied the allegations and claimed to have never met Virginia.
However, a photograph appearing to show them together in a London townhouse – his arm around her bare midriff – was included in her lawsuit against him.
Epstein’s jailed madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, is also in the picture.
Prince Andrew has remained silent since Ms Giuffre’s body was discovered on Friday night.
He broke cover briefly on Sunday when he and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson were seen driving out to take their corgis for an afternoon walk.
The Duke of York has vehemently denied the accusations – despite paying her off – and pledged to “fight against the evils of sex trafficking”.
You’re Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123