The Relationship Timeline
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, met Jeffrey Epstein through Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime friend. The friendship between Andrew and Maxwell dated from the early 1990s; Maxwell’s introduction of Andrew to Epstein developed into a relationship between the three. The relationship was social and personal rather than financial.
Documented meetings between Andrew and Epstein span a period from approximately the mid-1990s through at least 2010. In 2000, Andrew attended a party at Epstein’s Palm Beach estate. In 2001, he was photographed in Epstein’s New York townhouse with Virginia Giuffre (then Virginia Roberts) and Ghislaine Maxwell. In 2010, Andrew visited Epstein in New York following Epstein’s release from the Florida jail — a visit that was widely photographed by media and generated significant criticism given Epstein’s registered sex offender status.
The Photograph
The photograph showing then-17-year-old Virginia Roberts (Giuffre) standing with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell was published globally and became one of the most significant images of the Epstein case. The photo, taken at Maxwell’s London flat in 2001, shows Andrew’s arm around Giuffre’s waist.
Andrew has claimed he does not recall the photograph being taken and suggested it might be doctored, though no forensic evidence of manipulation was found. The photograph corroborated Giuffre’s account that she had been in social contact with Andrew during the period when she alleged she was trafficked to meet him.
The BBC Newsnight Interview
In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave an extended interview to BBC Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis that became one of the most scrutinized and criticized interviews in modern royal history. Andrew denied ever meeting Giuffre, denied any sexual contact, claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the relevant date (recalling the trip with unusual specificity), and offered medical reasons why he could not have sweated in the way Giuffre described him doing at a nightclub.
The interview was widely judged to have been counterproductive. Andrew’s recall of specific details combined with his inability to express empathy for abuse victims and his admitted ongoing 2010 association with Epstein struck many observers as deeply damaging. He stepped back from royal duties in November 2019 following the interview.
The Civil Lawsuit and Settlement
Virginia Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in New York in August 2021, alleging he had sexually abused her when she was 17. Andrew sought to dismiss the case on jurisdictional and other grounds. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the dismissal motion in January 2022.
On February 15, 2022, Andrew and Giuffre announced a a settlement, with Andrew agreeing to make a substantial donation to Giuffre’s victims’ charity and to acknowledge her bravery as a victim. The financial terms were not publicly disclosed. Andrew did not admit liability. The settlement effectively ended the civil litigation while leaving the factual dispute unresolved in court.
Post-Settlement Status
Following the settlement, Prince Andrew’s military titles and royal patronages were not restored. He remained in a form of semi-retirement from public royal life. The settlement did not resolve questions about criminal liability, which no UK or U.S. law enforcement agency has pursued in connection with Andrew specifically.