Epstein's London Ambitions: Buckingham Palace Hotel Targeted for 'Playroom'
Newly released emails from the US Justice Department have revealed disturbing details about convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein's plans to establish a London sex lair in a five-star hotel just minutes from Buckingham Palace.
The Dukes Hotel Proposal
The documents show Epstein took a keen interest in purchasing the prestigious Dukes Hotel, located a mere 10-minute walk from the royal palace, with plans to convert the top floor into what he referred to as a 'playroom'. According to the correspondence, one individual whose name was redacted emailed Epstein with a proposal suggesting he could "make the top your London residence, have room for lots of P, and have full hotel services".
The phrase "lots of P" has appeared regularly in Epstein's emails and is widely believed to reference prostitution, adding a sinister dimension to the proposed hotel acquisition.
Financial Connections and Royal Links
Epstein became involved in discussions about the Dukes Hotel in 2010 through an email chain with Dubai-based businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who owned the St James's property at the time. The hotel's parent company was struggling financially due to unfavourable loan terms, and bin Sulayem was seeking Epstein's assistance in finding a bank that would refinance the debt at a lower interest rate.
However, rather than simply offering financial advice, Epstein saw an opportunity to become a potential buyer himself. He began investigating the purchase in detail, asking financial advisers to determine the hotel's true value and calculate refurbishment costs.
Prince Andrew Associate's Involvement
Perhaps most notably, the due diligence process included conversations with David Stern, a businessman who would later become a director of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace entrepreneurs initiative. Stern, who was already developing a relationship with Prince Andrew through Epstein, appeared enthusiastic about the hotel purchase specifically for installing a 'playroom'.
In one email to Epstein, Stern wrote: "I was thinking of looking at actual rooms at the Duke tomorrow before I fly, to check how small they are. Your London playroom on top floor - after some renovation - is still something I like. Should I look at it: yes or waste of time?" Epstein responded simply: "Look."
Broader Network Engagement
The same day, Epstein reached out to hotel magnate Giuseppe Cipriani to gauge his interest in a joint purchase of the property, asking "any interest in doing this with me". Although Cipriani did not pursue the deal, Epstein maintained interest in the hotel's financial situation for months afterward.
Remarkably, the hotel's owners shared confidential internal financial projections with Epstein, a convicted child sex trafficker who had been freed from jail just the previous year after serving time for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Financial Troubles and Eventual Outcome
Throughout the following months, bin Sulayem continued to seek Epstein's financial assistance with the struggling hotel, writing in a later email: "Please stop by the hotel when you are in London next." However, the hotel's performance eventually improved, and no purchase deal materialised before Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019.
These revelations add another layer to the complex web of Epstein's international connections and his apparent attempts to establish bases for his criminal activities in prestigious locations, with this particular scheme bringing him alarmingly close to the heart of British royalty.
