A newly disclosed photograph from the trove of documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has placed the Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, back in the spotlight. The image, released by the US Department of Justice, appears to show the former prince lying across the laps of five people.
Details of the Controversial Photograph
The undated picture, which is a photograph of a framed image, depicts Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reclining with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. His head is positioned near a woman's lap. Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is seen in the frame, peering down and smiling at the former royal. The context and exact circumstances surrounding the photo remain unclear.
Massive Release of Court Documents
This image was part of a significant data dump uploaded to the US Department of Justice website on Friday 19 December 2025. The release caused the site to experience an "extremely high volume of search requests," holding users in a virtual queue. This action follows the passing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which legally obligates the DOJ to make all files from the Epstein investigation public.
US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche stated that "several hundred thousand" documents would be released ahead of a legal deadline, with thousands more to follow in the coming weeks to protect victims' identities. Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges; his death was ruled a suicide.
Fallout and Ongoing Denials
The emergence of this photograph follows the King's decision to strip Andrew of his royal titles and military affiliations in November, a move precipitated by the ongoing controversy over his links to Epstein. A spokesperson for the Duke has previously stated that he strenuously denies any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities.
This latest visual evidence from the infamous files is expected to fuel further public and media scrutiny of the Duke's associations, as the world continues to digest the vast amount of material being made public from one of the most notorious criminal cases in recent history.
