Australian activist Grace Tame suggests Virginia Giuffre's death may not have been suicide, amid tributes for Prince Andrew accuser

Sky News AU

28-04-2025

Grace Tame has weighed in on the tragic death of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre's family confirmed the 41-year-old died by suicide on Thursday at her farm in Neergabby, Western Australia.
"It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia," her family said in a statement to NBC News.
"She lost her life to suicide after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking."
However, Tame, who was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her advocacy for sexual assault survivors, has speculated that Giuffre's death may not be as it seems.
The 30-year-old took to social media to share her thoughts, commenting on a Marie Claire Australia post that announced Giuffre's death on Saturday.
The post, featuring a photo of Ms Giuffre, read: "Virginia Giuffre, Epstein survivor and advocate, has died."
Tame commented underneath "*been killed", a remark that had attracted more than 140 likes (at time of writing).
Her comment appeared to reference a resurfaced post from Giuffre herself in 2019, where she publicly declared she was "not suicidal".
"I am making it publicly known that in no way, shape or form am I suicidal," the mother-of-three wrote on X at the time.
"I have made this known to my therapist and GP. If something happens to me- in the sake of my family do not let this go away and help me to protect them.
"Too many evil people want to see me quieted."
On Sunday, Tame also reshared a post about the mother-of-three's death on her Instagram Stories, as well as a post by journalist and author Lucia Osborne-Crowley.
"My heart goes out to all survivors today and I am thinking of every person in the community," Osborne-Crowley wrote.
"Virginia's passing makes me think, once again, about the word survivor and how we use it.
"The thing is that some of us can't, and some of us don't, because some lives are unbearable.
"We survive as long as we can."
Giuffre first came forward in 2010, alleging she was trafficked by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was a teenager.
The Duke of York has repeatedly denied the allegations and has never faced any criminal charges.
In 2021, Ms Giuffre sued Prince Andrew for sexual abuse, reaching a settlement out of court in March 2022.
Her publicist, Dini von Mueffling, described the American-Australian as "deeply loving, wise and funny".
"She adored her children and many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself," von Mueffling said in a statement.
"I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her."
News of Giuffre's death came less than a month after she revealed on Instagram she was at risk of dying from renal failure following a car accident involving a school bus.
After being discharged from a Perth hospital, Guiffre was a no-show in court, where she faced a charge of breaching a family violence restraining order, allegedly committed in February.
Her family added: "Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
"She was the light that lifted so many survivors. In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight." NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE?
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au