Virginia Giuffre’s memoir reignites scandal as Duke agrees to drop royal titles

PRINCE ANDREW allegedly required Virginia Giuffre to sign a one-year gag order as part of their 2022 settlement, to prevent damaging Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations, according to claims in her forthcoming memoir.

The revelations come just a day after Andrew announced he would no longer use his royal titles or honours, in what Buckingham Palace sources described as a final attempt by King Charles and the Prince of Wales to draw a line under the long-running scandal. The timing is notable, as the King is preparing to visit the Vatican next week and is said to be keen to put the embarrassment surrounding his brother firmly behind him.

Jubilee deal

Giuffre’s book, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, claims the gag clause was crucial to ensuring the jubilee – marking the late Queen’s 70 years on the throne – was not overshadowed by renewed focus on her son’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The civil case was settled just nine days after the Queen reached the milestone of her accession in 2022. A US judge had previously ruled the case could go ahead, prompting the monarch to strip Andrew of his honorary military roles, while he ceased using the style “His Royal Highness”.

The settlement

Court filings later confirmed that Andrew and Giuffre reached a “settlement in principle”, including a substantial donation to her charity supporting abuse victims. The prince pledged to show regret for his friendship with Epstein by backing anti-trafficking initiatives, though he continued to deny meeting Giuffre or committing any form of sexual assault.

In her book, Giuffre describes how Andrew’s disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview was “an injection of jet fuel” for her legal team, suggesting it strengthened their hand during negotiations. The televised exchange, intended to clear his name, instead intensified public outrage after he claimed he could not have met Giuffre on the night she alleged they had sex because he was at Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter, Princess Beatrice.

Public backlash

Attempts by the Duke to re-emerge into public life after the settlement were met with widespread criticism. His prominent role at Prince Philip’s memorial service in March 2022 drew condemnation, and he missed the jubilee thanksgiving service after announcing he had tested positive for Covid.

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April this year, wrote that she agreed to remain silent for a year because “it seemed important to the prince that his mother’s platinum jubilee would not be tarnished any more than it already had been.”

Stepping back

In a statement on Friday (Oct 17), Andrew said: “The continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family. I am putting my family and country first and will no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”

Giuffre’s memoir, due to be published on Tuesday, is expected to renew public scrutiny of the Duke of York’s conduct and the royal family’s handling of a scandal that continues to cast a shadow over the monarchy, even as the King seeks to refocus attention on his duties abroad.

Judge condemns viral “entertainment” clips of dogs attacking mammals — RSPCA warns of wider persecution risk in West Wales

A CAERPHILLY man has been jailed for 16 weeks after persecuting badgers in what a judge described as “deliberate and sadistic” acts of cruelty. Videos recovered from his phone showed mammals being stabbed, kicked, and mauled by dogs.

Lloyd Gary Robert Davies, of Bryn Heol, Bedwas, was also banned from keeping animals for life after pleading guilty to offences under both the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Newport Magistrates’ Court heard how Davies set lurchers on badgers, filmed the attacks, and shared them. In one recovered video, a man’s hand plunged a knife into an injured badger after it was kicked and savaged by dogs. Davies also used his female lurcher, Shirley, in multiple illegal hunts, exposing her to serious injury and lending her out for the same purpose.

District Judge Sophie Toms described the cruelty as “absolutely disgusting,” saying: “This was deliberate and sadistic cruelty, filmed and shared for entertainment — one of the most serious cases of cruelty I’ve had to deal with in all my time.” She added that she would have preferred to impose a longer sentence, “but regrettably my hands are somewhat tied.”

In addition to the prison term, Davies was ordered to pay £400 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge. The prosecution followed analysis of a mobile phone seized from him, which contained 13 videos showing lurchers attacking “vocalising, bloodied” badgers, with onlookers encouraging them to continue.

In mitigation, Davies’ defence pointed out his youth — he was 22 when many offences occurred — and said he suffered from ADHD and autism. The court heard he “fell in with a bad crowd,” loved his dog Shirley, and was “deeply remorseful.” He has since signed over Shirley to the RSPCA, who rehabilitated her and found her a new home elsewhere in the UK.

An RSPCA Special Operations Unit spokesperson said:
“This case shows how people who persecute wildlife for pleasure will not be tolerated. We will investigate them and bring them to justice.”

The RSPCA worked in partnership with Gwent Police and Natural Resources Wales on the case. PC Rhys Jones of Gwent Police said:
“This case highlights the importance of our link with the RSPCA to ensure that offenders like Davies do not get away with these cruel acts.”

David Griffiths of Natural Resources Wales added:
“Badgers and their setts are safeguarded by law — any harm to them without a valid licence is a criminal offence. This prosecution sends a strong message that such appalling acts will not be tolerated.”

Badger persecution in West Wales

While this latest case was prosecuted in Gwent, the RSPCA says badger baiting and sett interference continue to pose a risk across Wales — including Pembrokeshire and neighbouring counties.

In April 2025, two men from Ceredigion were sentenced after shooting a badger dead, dragging its body down a hill, and throwing it into a bog near Esgairdawe, Carmarthenshire. The same case involved illegal interference with a badger sett, possession of firearms, and the use of dogs to hunt badgers.

A 2018 undercover BBC investigation exposed a network of badger baiters operating across Wales — including in Pembrokeshire — where men were filmed digging into setts and setting dogs on badgers, sometimes killing them with spades.

And in 2006–07, a major prosecution linked to Boncath uncovered evidence of badger baiting after a badger was found in a lurcher’s mouth near a dug sett, with bloodstained shovels nearby. Two men from Ceredigion were later convicted at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court.

Although most prosecutions are handled in neighbouring counties, these cases show that Pembrokeshire is not immune to wildlife persecution — and that illegal badger baiting remains a live concern across West Wales.

REFORM UK has issued a legal warning to Welsh Labour after online posts linked its Caerphilly by-election candidate to Russian influence.

The party confirmed that its lawyers have written under the Defamation Act 2013 and the Representation of the People Act 1983, following a series of Labour social media adverts and posts.

The material, which has now been withdrawn, suggested candidate Llŷr Powell had connections to Vladimir Putin and referred to bribery allegations involving a former Reform leader.

Labour adverts pulled

According to the Meta Ad Library, Labour had paid for adverts that repeated the same claims. Those adverts are now listed as inactive.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Whilst we have removed the social media posts on request from Reform UK, questions remain as to why Reform UK chose a spokesperson for Russia to be their Welsh leader. Welsh Labour will not stop asking these questions.”

Powell previously worked for Nathan Gill when he was a Member of the European Parliament. Reform UK insists Powell’s employment ended before Gill’s offending took place.

Gill, the former Welsh leader of the party, admitted earlier this month to accepting bribes from Oleg Voloshyn, a man the US government has described as a “pawn” of Russian intelligence. He pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges dating between December 2018 and July 2019.

Reform response

Reform UK said Labour had “lost their grip, lost the Welsh people, and lost the argument” and accused them of resorting to “gutter politics”.

The by-election for Caerphilly takes place on October 23. Candidates are Richard Tunnicliffe (Welsh Labour), Lindsay Whittle (Plaid Cymru), Gareth Potter (Welsh Conservatives), Llŷr Powell (Reform UK), Gareth Hughes (Wales Green Party), Steven Aicheler (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Roger Quilliam (UKIP), and Anthony Cook (Gwlad).