Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault - claims he has always denied - has been found dead at her farm in Australia at the age of 41. On Friday, Virginia’s family confirmed that she had taken her own life after being a “lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking”.

In a statement, the family said she was a “fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking”. They said: “She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. 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."

Virginia first started making global headlines in 2021 when she sued Prince Andrew for sexual abuse. She claimed that she had sex with the duke when she was 17 after having been trafficked by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the claims and has not been charged with any criminal offences. In March 2022, Ms Giuffre and Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement which reportedly included a "substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights". Andrew has continued to deny all of the allegations.

Since the settlement, Ms Giuffre - who was born in the US - became a prominent campaigner for sexual abuse victims. She was closely associated with the Me Too movement.

Over the last few years, Ms Giuffre has been living with her children and husband Robert on a farm in the suburb of North Perth, although it is unclear whether she has recently split up with her husband.

This is because just last month, Ms Giuffre put an emotional post on Instagram about missing her children Christian, Noah, and Emily, claiming they had been taken from her.

Sharing photographs of her children, she wrote: “I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else.

“My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.”

Her last post on Instagram was uploaded on March 30 and showed her bruised in a hospital bed after being involved in a crash with a bus.