The King has been formally urged to establish direct contact with legal representatives acting for a woman who claims she was sent to the United Kingdom for a sexual encounter with his brother, Prince Andrew. This call comes amidst the publication of a vast trove of documents by the US Department of Justice, exceeding three million pages, which relate to the convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Legal Demands and Royal Credibility
Lawyers for the unnamed accuser, a second woman alleging she was dispatched to the UK by Epstein, have stated that any potential testimony from Andrew regarding these allegations would be considered "irrelevant." They argue that for the royal family to "maintain any level of credibility" in the eyes of Epstein's survivors, a "sincere and real apology" from the King, coupled with fair compensation for victims, is the only acceptable path forward.
Brittany Henderson, of the US law firm Edwards Henderson, issued a pointed statement to the Press Association. "Andrew's power only existed because of his royal family," she said, adding that his "complicity and involvement with Epstein and Maxwell has been well known to us, to Andrew, and to the Palace for many years." She explicitly called for the King's legal team to contact her immediately to facilitate a resolution.
Documentary Evidence and Past Settlements
The latest document dump places Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, at the centre of numerous references. Brad Edwards, from the same law firm, previously told the BBC that his client spent a night with Andrew after being given a tour of Buckingham Palace. Images within the release appear to show a man resembling the former prince crouched over an unidentified woman lying on a floor.
This follows the 2022 civil settlement where Andrew paid millions to Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at age 17. Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles by King Charles last year, has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Sarah Ferguson's Correspondence Revealed
The documents also shed light on the involvement of Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. In a 2011 email exchange published in the files, she appears to directly accuse Epstein of ulterior motives. "It was soooo crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeeply," she wrote, misspelling the final word.
Further correspondence within the release appears to show Andrew himself exchanging emails with Epstein about a "beautiful" Russian woman and extending an invitation to Buckingham Palace.
Political Fallout: Lord Mandelson's Resignation
The repercussions of the document release extend beyond the royal family into British politics. Lord Mandelson's historical ties to Epstein have prompted calls for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to strip him of his peerage. Following the publication, the former business secretary and ambassador to the US resigned his membership of the Labour Party.
The documents include email exchanges from 2009 where Lord Mandelson appears to tell Epstein he would lobby ministers concerning a tax on bankers' bonuses. Bank statements from 2003-2004 seem to indicate he received payments totalling $75,000 from the financier, who is also said to have funded an osteopathy course for Lord Mandelson's husband.
In his resignation letter to the Labour Party's general secretary, Lord Mandelson stated he was stepping down to investigate "allegations which I believe to be false" and to avoid causing "further embarrassment to the Labour Party."
The extensive document release continues to send shockwaves through both the British establishment and the ongoing narrative surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's network, placing renewed legal and public relations pressure on figures connected to the case.
