The Relationship
Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein were documented as friends beginning in the early 1990s. The friendship was reportedly facilitated by Ghislaine Maxwell, who was part of the same elite social circuit as Andrew.
Documented Contact
Photographs showed Prince Andrew at Epstein properties, including his Manhattan townhouse. There was documented contact across more than a decade, including after Epstein’s 2008 conviction a period during which Andrew reportedly met Epstein in New York.
Virginia Giuffre’s Allegations
Virginia Giuffre alleged in sworn statements that she was directed to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17. She described a specific incident allegedly occurring in March 2001 in London.
The Newsnight Interview
Prince Andrew gave an extraordinary interview to BBC Newsnight in November 2019. In the interview, he denied the allegations, called his friendship with Epstein a ‘straightforward’ matter, and made comments about his sweat glands that became widely mocked. The interview was widely described as a disaster that made his situation worse.
The Settlement
In 2022, Prince Andrew reached a civil settlement with Virginia Giuffre. The settlement reportedly included a substantial financial payment (reported as approximately 12 million) and a statement in which Andrew pledged support for victims’ advocacy work.