Scandals and dramas are an inseparable part of the British royal family’s daily reality, but even the darkest scripts could not have predicted how deep into the mire former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor would drag the palace. Worse still, it appears the public has not yet seen the full scope of the disturbing ties he maintained with convicted sex offender and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Last November, seven years after his name was first linked to the disgraced billionaire, King Charles stripped his younger brother Andrew of the title “prince.” It marked the first time in modern history that a royal was deprived of a title without voluntarily relinquishing it, as King Edward VIII did to marry a divorcée or as Prince Harry and Meghan did when they stepped back from royal duties.
7 View gallery
Prince Andrew and a minor in images from the Epstein files
(Photo: US Justice Department/Reuters)
Charles may have anticipated what was coming. Last month, the U.S. Justice Department released three million new documents from Epstein’s files, including photographs showing Andrew leaning over a seemingly helpless minor and sitting with five young women on his lap.
The horror did not end there. The new documents revealed that Epstein allegedly transported minors to Andrew aboard his private jet, the Boeing 727 dubbed the “Lolita Express,” which hosted orgies, sex parties and trafficking, and landed in Britain about 90 times.
Email exchanges between the two suggest Andrew allowed Epstein to arrange meetings for him during an official trade delegation to China. In photos from 2010, the former prince appears socializing with a Chinese model at a secret dinner in Beijing during a 10-day royal tour in which he represented Britain. Businessman David Stern, Andrew’s adviser, described the woman in demeaning terms.
On Thursday, Andrew’s 66th birthday, six police vehicles arrived at Sandringham, where he resides, and arrested him on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Detectives are reportedly examining his actions as a UK trade envoy after emails in the Epstein files suggested he shared confidential information with Epstein, including details of official visits and potential investment opportunities.
About 12 hours later, Andrew was released and photographed leaving Norfolk Police Station shortly after 7 p.m. London time. At the time of writing, it was unclear whether he was released under investigation or on bail.
All this raises a troubling question: Was Andrew’s connection to Epstein in fact Epstein’s path to the queen? Royal historian Andrew Lownie argues the answer is yes. “Jeffrey Epstein exploited Andrew to get to Elizabeth. I think he believed he could do business for her,” Lownie said, adding that she was not the only royal in Epstein’s sights. “I have no doubt other members of the royal family met Epstein and it has simply not yet come to light. The family helped Andrew, fully aware of the people he was associating with. He had their backing, and it would not surprise me if the queen met some of these people, including Epstein.”
A scandal years in the making
The “Androgate” affair first erupted in 2019, when it became clear that Andrew, widely seen as the late Queen Elizabeth’s favorite son, had maintained close ties with Epstein. Testimonies later emerged alleging that Andrew sexually abused minors supplied by Epstein and his associates. He initially denied wrongdoing.
“At no stage during the limited time I spent with Jeffrey Epstein did I see any behavior of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction,” Andrew said at the time, though few believed him, perhaps except the queen.
“Elizabeth tried to protect him,” royal expert Richard Kay said. “People in the palace said he still held a special place in his mother’s heart.”
In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit in Manhattan seeking damages from Andrew, alleging he forced her to have sex when she was 17 and knew she was underage during encounters at Epstein’s estate. “Prince Andrew’s wealth, power, position and connections enabled him to abuse a frightened and vulnerable child that no one protected,” the suit stated.
In February 2022, Andrew and Giuffre reached an out-of-court settlement. Court documents said the prince would make a substantial donation to Giuffre’s charity, praised her courage and expressed regret for his association with Epstein. Reports at the time put the settlement at £7.5 million plus several million in legal fees, an estimated total of £12 million, largely borne by Queen Elizabeth.
In April, Giuffre, 41, died by suicide. Her family described her as “a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking.”
Yet revelations continued. Newly released documents show Epstein arranged a private dinner for Andrew with four young women at Buckingham Palace while Queen Elizabeth was at Balmoral, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Emails show Andrew hosted Epstein and the women, including models from Romania and Russia. Epstein described one Romanian model as “very cute” and told her she had been “perfect.” In an email to Andrew after the dinner, Epstein wrote: “That was great fun, and more to come.” Andrew replied: “Yes, please!” He also wrote the following day that it had been “great fun.”
The documents also include affectionate emails between Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate later convicted of sex trafficking minors. They addressed each other as “darling” and “Sweet Pea,” expressing that they missed one another.
In a 2002 email signed with an “A,” Andrew apologized for spending a weekend with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, instead of at the estate managed by Maxwell. Maxwell responded warmly, writing she would understand but would miss him. The next day she added: “Probably five gorgeous redheads will just have to play with themselves.” Andrew replied that he was sad not to join them but loved and missed her and looked forward to seeing her again.
Further emails reignited claims by informed insiders that Andrew and Maxwell had once had an affair. Former royal protection officer Paul Page said Maxwell’s frequent access to the palace in 2001 raised suspicions of a romantic link.
7 View gallery
Prince Andrew with his mother Queen Elizabeth, Harry and Meghan
(Photo: Matt Dunham/AP)
Ferguson under scrutiny
Andrew was not the only royal with something to hide. After he was stripped of his title and removed from his Windsor home, his former wife Sarah Ferguson spoke of feeling devastated and betrayed by revelations about her ex-husband. But newly released documents also exposed her close relationship with Epstein.
Emails show Ferguson visited Epstein with her daughters days after his release from a Florida jail, where he served 13 months of an 18-month sentence for soliciting sex from 14-year-old girls. “Where do I come? I will bring my daughters,” she wrote.
A week later she emailed him: “I have never been so excited by your kindness and the compliment you gave me in front of my daughters. Thank you, Jeffrey, for being the brother I always longed for.” In another email, Epstein wrote to his lawyer that “Sarah was the first to celebrate my release with her two daughters.”
In July 2009, Ferguson wrote: “You are a legend. I don’t have the words to describe, my love, the gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Kisses and hugs, I am here for you. Marry me.” Other emails show she invited him on a VIP tour of Buckingham Palace and repeated her proposal.
When Epstein’s name resurfaced in headlines, Ferguson sought to distance herself. In March 2011, days after she publicly expressed regret for her association with him, Epstein wrote to his publicist that she could still defend him, claiming she had been misled by Florida lawyers.
Royal historian Lownie believes Andrew and Ferguson are deeply entangled in the affair. “Worse is yet to come for Andrew,” he said. “The documents show he continues to lie about his relationship with Epstein. What is particularly damaging is how close Sarah was to Epstein, a connection that nearly slipped under the radar.”
He added that the palace was aware. “They knew Andrew and Sarah were under intelligence surveillance. These matters were reported to Buckingham Palace. The royal family had many opportunities to discipline Andrew but ultimately acted only under public and media pressure.”
The monarchy under strain
Caught in the middle are Andrew and Ferguson’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Both continue to carry out official duties and were invited to Christmas celebrations with the royal family. The Daily Mail reported that Eugenie has cut ties with her father, angered by his refusal to apologize to Epstein’s victims. Beatrice reportedly remains in contact but feels deep shame.
In an official statement, the palace expressed support for victims and willingness to cooperate with authorities. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said Prince William and Catherine were “deeply concerned” and focused on victims. King Charles reiterated his “deep concern” and pledged cooperation if approached by police.
U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, co-author of the Epstein Transparency Act, has said Charles must publicly address what he knew about his brother’s ties. “Stripping Andrew’s title is not enough,” Khanna said.
Since his accession, Charles has promised a streamlined, modern monarchy. He has opened palace doors wider and sought to win over a public still wary over his treatment of Diana. But Andrew’s involvement now threatens the institution’s reputation.
A Savanta poll of 2,132 UK adults found only 45 percent support the monarchy, amid growing pressure on Charles and Prince William to clarify what they knew. Another YouGov poll showed 51 percent believe the royal family should respond more forcefully to the affair. Eighty-two percent said Andrew should cooperate with U.S. authorities, and 63 percent believe he should not be allowed to live on royal estates.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Gordon Brown has called Andrew’s relationship with Epstein “the greatest scandal of all” and urged a criminal investigation. Several ministers and lawmakers have echoed calls for scrutiny.
As historian Lownie put it: “You cannot believe a word that comes out of their mouths. They lie even about things they do not need to lie about. Neither of them will recover from what has surfaced or what may yet surface.”
For King Charles, the crisis is existential. Queen Elizabeth did not live to see the latest revelations. Her son must now confront the fallout and attempt to preserve a monarchy whose future, at least for now, appears more fragile than ever.