Prince Andrew has given a rare BBC interview addressing his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York, 59, admitted it was wrong to stay at Epstein's home after his 2008 conviction but defended their broader friendship. He also denied allegations of sexual contact with Virginia Roberts, who claims she was trafficked to the prince at age 17.
The pair first met in 1999 through Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's British girlfriend and a longtime friend of the prince. That year, press reports linked them, and flight logs show Andrew flew on Epstein's private jet to his private island, Little St James, in the US Virgin Islands. Epstein's logs also record a flight to meet Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, ten months earlier.
In June 2000, Epstein and Maxwell attended a royal party at Windsor Castle for four birthdays, including Andrew's 40th. Andrew said Epstein was his guest, not the Queen's. The prince and Maxwell were photographed together at several events that year, including a wedding and Heidi Klum's Halloween party. In December 2000, Andrew hosted a surprise birthday party for Maxwell at Sandringham, with Epstein among the guests, describing it as a 'straightforward shooting weekend'.
Epstein's criminal history began in 2005 when a 14-year-old's parents reported him for molestation. He was accused of paying underage girls for sex between 2002 and 2005. A 2008 plea deal saw him serve 13 months for soliciting a minor. In July 2019, he faced new sex trafficking charges but died by suicide before trial. That same month, Epstein attended Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday masked ball at Windsor Castle.
