Newly released documents from the US justice department indicate that the Duke of York attended a private dinner with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in December 2010, months after Epstein's release from prison. The files, made public on Friday, include emails from Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal inviting high-profile figures to a "last-minute casual dinner" for Andrew, who was in New York on an "unofficial private visit." The gathering is believed to have taken place at Epstein's New York home, where Andrew was staying.
Andrew has previously stated that the purpose of his 2010 trip was to sever ties with Epstein, who was jailed in 2008 for child sexual abuse. In a 2019 Newsnight interview, the former prince said he chose to meet Epstein in person to end the friendship, as breaking the news "over the telephone was the chicken's way of doing it." However, the emails suggest Siegal drew up a guest list for what she described as a "very interesting, fast, fun dinner" involving Andrew and Epstein.
Invitees included film director Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, political strategist George Stephanopoulos and his wife Alexandra Wentworth, journalist Katie Couric, and talkshow host Charlie Rose. It is unclear who ultimately attended, but emails indicate Wentworth withdrew due to her children's illness. Siegal told Stephanopoulos: "Come on time and you will have private time with Andrew as he is staying at the house."
Separate emails from August 2010 between Epstein and an account named "The Duke" suggest Epstein wanted to introduce Andrew to a 26-year-old Russian woman, whom he described as "clevere beautiful, trustworthy." The Duke replied that he would be in Geneva until August 22 but would be "delighted to see her." The email is signed "A" with an apparent signature reading "HRH Duke of York KG."
Other emails show Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell addressing a sender as "Andrew" and referring to "Sarah and the kids." In 2002, Maxwell suggested a weekend on "the Island" with "5 stunning red heads." Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking. Andrew has withdrawn from royal life and was stripped of his titles over his Epstein links. In 2022, he paid a reported £12 million settlement to Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked to him by Epstein; he denied the allegations.
