Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, has repeatedly denied any misconduct in connection with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, a new allegation has emerged, adding to the ongoing controversy surrounding his associations.
Fresh Claims from Epstein Survivor
A second woman has come forward, alleging that Jeffrey Epstein sent her to the United Kingdom to engage in a sexual encounter with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. According to her US lawyer, Brad Edwards, the woman claims she spent a night at the former prince's residence, Royal Lodge, in 2010. At the time, the woman, who is not British, was in her twenties.
Details of the Alleged Encounter
Edwards, from the Florida-based law firm Edwards Henderson, stated that after the night with Mountbatten-Windsor, the woman was given a tour of Buckingham Palace and served tea. "We're talking about at least one woman who was sent by Jeffrey Epstein over to Prince Andrew. And she even had, after a night with Prince Andrew, a tour of Buckingham Palace," Edwards told the BBC. This marks the first time an Epstein accuser has alleged a sexual encounter at a royal residence, specifically Royal Lodge.
BBC News reported that it received no response from Mountbatten-Windsor regarding the claim. Additionally, while Buckingham Palace routinely records tour guest names, it has not been possible to verify the woman's visit without disclosing her identity, according to the broadcaster.
Legal Context and Previous Cases
Brad Edwards represents over 200 Epstein survivors globally and previously represented Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre alleged she was brought to London in 2001 to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17, with further encounters in New York and on Epstein's private Caribbean island between 2001 and 2002. Tragically, Giuffre died by suicide in April.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied Giuffre's claims and any wrongdoing related to Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019. Edwards mentioned that there were communications between his client and the former prince before the alleged encounter, and he has been in contact with Mountbatten-Windsor's US legal counsel. However, he noted that the former prince has "seemingly been disconnected from his lawyers."
Potential Legal Action and Royal Fallout
According to the BBC report, communications ceased after King Charles formally removed his sibling's "style, title and honours" in October, following the publication of Giuffre's posthumous memoir. Edwards is now considering filing a civil lawsuit on the woman's behalf against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
This development follows Giuffre's civil lawsuit against Andrew in 2021, which was settled in February 2022 for an estimated £12 million. The Guardian has attempted to contact Mountbatten-Windsor for comment on the new allegations.
For support, in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or via email at jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, individuals can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741. In Australia, Lifeline is available at 13 11 14, and other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
