A trove of newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case has cast a stark new light on Prince Andrew's associations with the convicted sex trafficker, centring on a controversial party held at the late Queen's Sandringham estate.
Shocking Photo and Party Details Emerge
Among 30,000 documents released by the US Department of Justice, one of the most arresting images appears to show Prince Andrew, then known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, grinning with his eyes closed as he lies across the laps of five women. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice convicted of sex trafficking, looks down at the group and smiles. The photo is believed to have been taken in the saloon room at Sandringham House, Queen Elizabeth II's private Norfolk residence.
According to royal biographer Robert Johnson, Andrew hosted a party for financier Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell at the estate in the year 2000, "apparently for her thirty-ninth birthday". Johnson, writing in 'The Windsor Legacy', cites a royal source claiming that staff were stunned to find the bathrooms stocked not just with toiletries, but with poppers, lubricant, and condoms. Poppers are a type of drug often used to enhance sexual experiences.
Andrew's Contradictory Account
The prince previously acknowledged the event during his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, but strongly downplayed its nature. When asked if he had thrown a birthday party for Maxwell, Andrew insisted it was "just a straightforward shooting weekend". He sought to deflect responsibility, stating, "remember that it was his girlfriend that was the key element in this. He was the, as it were, plus one."
The latest document dump, which caused the hosting website to queue users due to high demand, contains further evidence of the prince bringing Epstein into the heart of the British establishment. Images show Andrew with Epstein and Maxwell in the royal box at Ascot, and apparently shooting on the Balmoral estate in Scotland. Another photo shows Maxwell posing outside 10 Downing Street.
Wider Circle of High-Profile Figures
The files also feature other prominent names from the worlds of politics, business, and entertainment. Former US President Bill Clinton is pictured in a hot tub and swimming in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell. He has stated he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes at the time.
Other celebrities identified in the images include singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger, and Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Ferguson faced criticism earlier this year after it emerged she had called Epstein a "supreme friend" following revelations she accepted money from him to clear a debt.
In the newly released photos, the identities of the five women Andrew is pictured with have been obscured, a measure applied to many individuals in the Epstein files. The release continues to fuel questions about the extent and nature of the Duke of York's relationship with the disgraced financier and his associate.
