Documents released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files have revealed that Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor received two copies of the film The King's Speech during a dinner arranged while he was staying with the convicted sex offender in New York in December 2010. The email correspondence provides new details about the gathering and the efforts to manage perceptions around the Duke of York's activities.
Epstein Files Detail "Very Last-Minute Casual Dinner"
The released documents show there was a "very last-minute casual dinner" organized for Andrew during his New York visit. Among those reportedly invited were filmmaker Woody Allen, his wife Soon-Yi Previn, and journalist Katie Couric. The dinner took place at a time when Andrew claimed he was attempting to sever ties with Epstein, who had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Publicist's Email Reveals Hollywood Connections
In an email sent to Epstein on December 3, 2010, Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal detailed the evening's events. She wrote enthusiastically about the dinner, mentioning her exchange with Andrew about royal wedding attire before revealing she had left him two copies of The King's Speech - one as a backup.
"I did leave him two copies of 'The King's Speech' (one for back-up) and begged him to let me watch him watch the film," Siegal wrote. "I must get them both back. Harvey will kill me if he finds out I lent them to him."
The reference to Harvey Weinstein is significant as his production company, The Weinstein Company, was behind the award-winning film about Andrew's grandfather, King George VI. Siegal expressed concern that Weinstein was trying to arrange palace viewings and instructed Andrew to claim he saw the film in a New York theater rather than admit to receiving DVDs.
Earlier Screening Arrangements Revealed
A separate email from November 2010 shows earlier attempts to arrange a private screening of The King's Speech for Andrew. Sent from an account on behalf of Siegal by a woman named Stephanie, the message outlined plans to obtain a print from Weinstein for "a very private, small, no press screening" during Andrew's visit from November 29 to December 5.
The email listed various events happening that week, including the Gotham Awards and premieres for Black Swan and All Good Things, before suggesting possible screening dates. It concluded with the prediction that "Colin Firth who portrays his grandfather is going to win the Oscar" - a prophecy that came true when Firth won the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of George VI.
Andrew's Controversial Association with Epstein
During his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, Andrew claimed his New York visit was intended to end his friendship with Epstein. When challenged about staying at the home of a convicted sex offender, he stated: "It was a convenient place to stay... At the end of the day, with the benefit of all the hindsight that one can have, it was definitely the wrong thing to do."
The Duke of York has faced serious allegations, which he strenuously denies, that he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager trafficked by Epstein. In 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault claim with Giuffre, a woman he claims never to have met.
Royal Consequences and Ongoing Scrutiny
Andrew stepped down from royal duties following the Newsnight interview, but renewed scrutiny came with the publication of Giuffre's posthumous memoir and the US government's release of documents from Epstein's estate. This ultimately led King Charles III to officially strip his brother of both his HRH style and his prince title.
Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, with his death ruled a suicide. The newly released emails provide additional context about the social connections and Hollywood interactions that characterized Andrew's relationship with the disgraced financier during a period when the royal claimed to be distancing himself.
