In April, Ms. Giuffre, aged 41, known for having settled a sexual assault lawsuit against the former Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was discovered deceased at her farm in Western Australia. Notably, she left no will to dictate the division of her assets.
Her sons, Christian and Noah Giuffre, initiated a legal battle in the Supreme Court of Western Australia this past June. This move comes amid speculation that their late mother’s estate might be valued at over $20 million.
Documents disclosed to the media earlier did not reference the substantial legal settlements she is believed to have received, estimating the value of Ms. Giuffre’s estate to exceed “at least $472,000.”
In their legal claim, Christian and Noah noted that their mother possessed a horse, two vehicles, the contents of a rural home, jewelry, personal belongings, shares in a company called Witty River Pty Ltd, and a portion of a family trust.
Additionally, she was potentially entitled to royalties from her memoir, Nobody’s Girl, where she recounted the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and the former prince when she was 17.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied these allegations.
Ms Giuffre’s former lawyer, Karrie Jean Louden, and housekeeper and carer Cheryl Mary Myers are named as defendants.
Their counterclaim said the estate was worth at least $501,000.
The case returned to court in Perth on Friday when lawyers for the parties put different views forward about whether and how Ms Giuffre’s daughter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and her ex-husband Robert Giuffre should or could join the case as plaintiffs.
Registrar Danielle Davies said the matter should be decided by a judge or master and referred the issue to the court for a hearing.
Outside the court, defence lawyer Craig Hollett ran a media pack through the day’s hearing, saying it was “about whether the right parties have been joined” to the case.
“In these kinds of proceedings, it is important that all necessary parties are joined so that they have the opportunity to be heard to ventilate any issues, and so that the court can make a decision which represents all of the parties’ interests,” he said.
At Christian and Noah’s request, the court previously appointed an administrator who has been empowered to manage Ms Giuffre’s estate.
Lawyer Ian Blatchford will represent Ms Giuffre’s estate in any ongoing legal cases involving her, including in the United States.
Blatchford will also take charge of Ms Giuffre’s interests regarding her memoir.
Ms Giuffre figured prominently in the downfall of Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
When confirming Ms Giuffre’s death in April, Louden said she was honoured to have worked with someone who was “so strong and powerful and willing to advocate for victims of sexual abuse”.
A further case management hearing over the estate will be held on May 1.
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