Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein

Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born February 19, 1960), is the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. His decades-long friendship with Jeffrey Epstein — and the allegations arising from it — constitute one of the most damaging royal scandals in modern British history.

The Friendship

Prince Andrew met Jeffrey Epstein through Ghislaine Maxwell in the early 1990s. The two maintained a friendship spanning nearly two decades. Andrew was photographed at multiple Epstein properties, including his Manhattan townhouse, the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, and Little Saint James in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He was among the highest-profile public figures to maintain a relationship with Epstein even after his 2008 conviction.

Virginia Giuffre’s Allegations

Virginia Giuffre (née Roberts) has alleged that she was sexually trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to Prince Andrew on three occasions when she was 17 years old — in London, New York, and on Epstein’s private island. A photograph shows Andrew with his arm around a young Virginia Giuffre, with Maxwell visible in the background.

The BBC Newsnight Interview (2019)

In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave a catastrophic interview to the BBC’s Emily Maitlis, intending to clear his name. Instead, the interview became widely mocked for his lack of credibility — including his claim that a medical condition meant he could not sweat, contradicting photos showing him sweating. He also stated he had “no recollection” of meeting Giuffre and showed no empathy for Epstein’s victims.

Step Back from Public Duties

Following the interview’s fallout, Prince Andrew announced he would step back from royal public duties “for the foreseeable future.”

Civil Lawsuit and Settlement

In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in New York federal court. In February 2022, Andrew settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum — reportedly £12 million — while not admitting guilt. He was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages and has not returned to public royal life.