Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein at Royal Lodge for Princess Beatrice's birthday party
He hosted the trio two months after a US arrest warrant was issued for Epstein for the sexual assault of a minor
Prince Andrew hosted Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein at his private home in Windsor, it has emerged.
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The trio visited Royal Lodge, the Duke of York’s residence on the Windsor estate, for a drinks reception before attending Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in 2006.
The party took place two months after a US arrest warrant was issued for Epstein for the sexual assault of a minor.
A witness said they remembered seeing Epstein and Weinstein at a gathering in the back garden of Royal Lodge before guests moved on to the main event at the castle, which featured a champagne reception and banquet.
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The broadcaster verified the location by matching trees and patio walls in a photograph of the three guests to images of Royal Lodge.
Epstein was arrested just eight days later in Florida.
Asked by Newsnight in 2019 why Epstein was invited to his daughter’s party despite the warrant, Andrew said: “Certainly I wasn’t aware when the invitation was issued what was going on in the United States and I wasn’t aware until the media picked up on it because he never said anything about it.”
The revelations come amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s ties to Epstein following the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which she alleged she was forced to have sex with the Duke on three occasions.
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said he has “no recollection” of meeting her. In 2022, he reached a financial settlement with Ms Giuffre without admitting liability.
Earlier this month, Andrew relinquished his remaining royal titles, as questions continued about his conduct and his living arrangements at Royal Lodge.
Epstein and Maxwell were pictured at Balmoral in 1999, the royal family’s Scottish estate.
The following year, Epstein attended an event at Windsor Castle, and Andrew hosted Maxwell’s birthday party at Sandringham, describing it later as “a straightforward shooting weekend.”
In 2002, Maxwell was photographed sitting on the Queen’s throne in Buckingham Palace alongside actor Kevin Spacey- a visit reportedly arranged by Andrew, though Epstein was not present.
Andrew has previously acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private jet, staying at his Palm Beach mansion and his private island, and visiting Maxwell’s London townhouse in Belgravia.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in the US for recruiting and trafficking teenage girls for Epstein’s abuse.
Weinstein, who also attended the 2006 Royal Lodge gathering, has been convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault in New York and Los Angeles, though a retrial on some charges has been ordered.
Buckingham Palace has yet to comment on the latest revelations or on speculation that Andrew could be moved out of Royal Lodge, where he has lived for two decades under a long-term lease with the Crown Estate.