Newly released photographs from the US Department of Justice show how Prince Andrew gave convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell access to British high society. The images, part of a trove of documents made public on Friday, depict Andrew with Epstein and Maxwell at Balmoral, Ascot, and Sandringham.
One photograph shows Andrew reclining across the laps of five people, with his head near a woman's lap, as Maxwell peers down and smiles. Sky News reported the image was taken at Sandringham, the late Queen Elizabeth's Norfolk estate. Another picture, from 2002, shows Maxwell posing in Winston Churchill's war rooms with a group including former US President Bill Clinton and actor Kevin Spacey.
The documents were released after the Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to make all investigation files public by midnight Friday. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said 'several hundred thousand' documents were released, with more to follow in coming weeks to protect victims' identities.
Andrew's association with Epstein ultimately led to his exit from royal life. He stepped down from official duties in 2019 after a Newsnight interview where he said he did not regret the friendship. In 2022, he paid millions to Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and sexually assaulted by Andrew. He settled the lawsuit despite denying ever meeting her.
The images also include Andrew's former wife, Sarah Ferguson, and other figures such as Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson, though there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by them. Many photos and documents are heavily redacted, drawing criticism from US lawmakers and Epstein's victims.
