A woman has come forward with a disturbing claim that her friend was compelled to engage in sexual activity with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the New York residence of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Lisa Phillips, a survivor of Epstein's abuse, disclosed this allegation during an interview with BBC Newsnight, stating the incident occurred in late 2003.
Allegations of Coercion and Trauma
Ms Phillips recounted that her friend, who has chosen to remain anonymous, was allegedly forced by Epstein to enter a room and have sex with the former prince. "My girl friend, she was the reason why I started speaking out because I wanted to speak for her, because she didn't want to," Phillips explained. She detailed that her friend had been travelling with Epstein to various countries and, during a visit to his Upper East Side apartment, encountered Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. According to Phillips, Epstein "made her, forced her, to go into a room to have sex with this man," despite the friend's protests that she did not want to participate.
Emotional Aftermath and Epstein's Response
The woman was reportedly left "traumatised" by the encounter, crying afterwards. Ms Phillips later confronted Epstein about why he had subjected her friend to this situation. She described Epstein smirking and responding, "I like to have things on people." Reflecting on Epstein's behaviour, Phillips added, "He liked the fear in our eyes. I think he liked that we were frozen and scared and didn't know what to do, and I think he got off on that."
Further Connections and Police Involvement
Ms Phillips also mentioned meeting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor through Epstein, recalling seeing him in a "pool with a young blonde girl" during a trip to Epstein's private island, Little St James. She expressed frustration that UK police have not attempted to interview her, stating, "I think they should, yes. I think they would learn a lot by talking to the victims."
Denials and Legal Context
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to these allegations. In a separate matter, the former Duke of York was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over his connections with Epstein. He was released under investigation after approximately 11 hours in custody, during which searches were conducted at his homes on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and at Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire.
Historical Allegations and Settlements
The former prince appears multiple times in the Epstein files, including images depicting him in compromising positions with unidentified women. He has also been accused of having sex with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre on three occasions, once when she was 17 years old. In 2022, he paid Ms Giuffre millions of pounds to settle a civil lawsuit in the United States, despite maintaining that he never met her. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor continues to deny all allegations against him.
