UK's Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Weinstein, Maxwell at home
What's the story
Prince Andrew hosted Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Harvey Weinstein at his home in Royal Lodge. The visit took place during his daughter Beatrice's 18th birthday celebrations in 2006, the BBC has reported. At the time, an arrest warrant had already been issued for Epstein in the United States for the sexual assault of a minor. Epstein would be arrested by police in Florida eight days after the birthday celebration.
Unanswered questions
Andrew's defense
While Andrew has not publicly commented on the matter, in a 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, he had said he wasn't aware of Epstein's legal troubles when he invited him to his daughter's birthday party. "Certainly, I wasn't aware when the invitation was issued what was going on in the United States, and I wasn't aware until the media picked up on it because he never said anything about it," Andrew had said.
Legal developments
Andrew's lost titles
The scrutiny on Andrew renewed after Virginia Giuffre's memoir was published posthumously. In her memoir, Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including once with Epstein and "eight other young girls." Earlier this month, Andrew had surrendered his royal titles, including the Duke of York, following "discussion with the King." In a statement, Prince Andrew said that the "continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family."
Lifestyle questions
Where will Andrew go?
The BBC revealed that Andrew has only paid a token annual rent on Royal Lodge, prompting questions about how he funds his lifestyle without being a working royal. Buckingham Palace has not commented on whether Andrew might move out of his home or where he might go. However, two other properties in Windsor Castle grounds, Adelaide Cottage and Frogmore Cottage, were suggested as options for both Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson months ago.
Past visits
Royal residences where Epstein and Maxwell were guests
Epstein and Maxwell were frequent guests at royal residences in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A photo of them at Balmoral was released during Maxwell's sex trafficking trial, reportedly taken in 1999 when Andrew invited them to stay at the Scottish castle. In 2000, Epstein was a guest at Windsor Castle, and Andrew hosted a birthday event for Maxwell at Sandringham, a private country retreat in Norfolk.
Recent developments
Buckingham Palace tour for Maxwell; Epstein's death
Maxwell visited Buckingham Palace on a private tour in 2002. A photo of her sitting on the monarch's throne with actor Kevin Spacey was published by the Daily Telegraph years later. Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Meanwhile, Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting and trafficking teenage girls for sexual abuse by Epstein, her then boyfriend.