Buckingham Palace ‘gardener’ removes Virginia Giuffre memorial plaque in just 90 minutes
Buckingham Palace ‘gardener’ removes Virginia Giuffre memorial plaque in just 90 minutes
A high-visibility-clad worker, using a litter tool, is captured in the act of taking down the memorial dedicated to Virginia Giuffre from a park near Buckingham Palace. The plaque, placed on royal grounds, had drawn attention from visitors taking selfies with the royal household.
The memorial was installed by members of the Everybody Hates Elon group, who had previously pulled off a stunt at the Louvre. Their action aimed to ‘re-centre the survivors who fought for justice against the billionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein,’ as part of a campaign highlighting Virginia’s role in exposing abuse by powerful men.
“Of course we are disappointed. We feel Andrew and the whole world should be made to remember Virginia’s bravery forever.”
The plaque’s message praised Giuffre for her decades-long efforts to uncover sexual abuse, stating: “In honour of Virginia Giuffre whose decades of campaigning exposed sexual abuse by powerful men like Jeffrey Epstein and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Her bravery and determination brought the truth to light. May she be remembered long after her abusers are forgotten.”
The memorial was removed by a staff member, likely part of the royal household, within an hour of its installation. A spokesperson for Everybody Hates Elon expressed hope it could become a permanent tribute to the survivor.
An image of Giuffre beside the then-Prince Andrew has become one of the most infamous photos from the Epstein files. She claimed Epstein trafficked her to have sex with the royal during her youth. Andrew has denied ever meeting her and insists the photo is a fabrication.
Giuffre, who endured depression and trauma, was found dead in her Australian home on April 25, 2025. Her family described her as a ‘fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse,’ noting the ‘toll of abuse… became unbearable.’
“Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring.”
Her long-time publicist, Dini von Mueffling, called her ‘one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honour to know.’ Von Mueffling highlighted her qualities as ‘deeply loving, wise, and funny,’ adding she was a ‘beacon to other survivors and victims.’
Earlier this month, a small team of British activists from the group managed to sneak into the Louvre in Paris. They installed a portrait of Andrew’s unflattering arrest image alongside iconic artworks like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The mastermind behind the prank told Metro: ‘It was all pretty fine getting it through. It was just in a bag and hidden under another picture. It was up for about 15 minutes before they took it down. Staff were actually laughing about it initially.’
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