Royal Introductions and Alleged Warnings
Fresh allegations have emerged suggesting Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was informed about Jeffrey Epstein's inappropriate behaviour towards women more than a year before the former prince allegedly had sexual encounters with Virginia Giuffre. According to a bombshell statement obtained by The Mail on Sunday, Andrew introduced a young actress he was dating in the late 1990s to the convicted sex offender during a visit to Windsor Castle.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reportedly received a financial settlement in June as one of Epstein's confirmed victims. Perry Wander, a prominent US lawyer based in Beverly Hills, claims his client confided in Andrew approximately 25 years ago about Epstein behaving "inappropriately towards her."
The Timeline of Events
Andrew allegedly responded that "he wasn't surprised" by the revelation because someone else had made similar complaints about the financier. This conversation reportedly occurred in early 2000, placing it more than a year before Epstein trafficked 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre to London to meet the then Duke of York.
Ms Giuffre, who tragically took her own life earlier this year, had consistently claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three separate occasions - allegations the former prince has repeatedly and strenuously denied.
The couple's relationship began in 1999, with Andrew said to have grown close to the aspiring actress after several dates, including lunch at Buckingham Palace. Andrew, then 39 and a commander in the Royal Navy, was approaching the end of his military career while the woman was attempting to establish herself in film and television.
Encouragement and Aftermath
According to Mr Wander, Andrew introduced the woman to both Epstein and socialite Ghislaine Maxwell during a Windsor Castle visit in October 1999. Maxwell was subsequently jailed in 2022 for her role in helping Epstein traffic under-age girls.
"My client has disclosed that Prince Andrew encouraged her to seek out and follow Jeffrey Epstein's guidance, and to spend time with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell," Mr Wander stated. "When she questioned Prince Andrew about whether doing so was safe, he reassured her that he 'trusted Jeffrey and Ghislaine'.
The woman allegedly flew multiple times on Epstein's private jet - later infamously dubbed the 'Lolita Express' - and visited both his Palm Beach mansion and private Caribbean island, nicknamed 'Paedophile Island' by critics.
The woman claims she was repeatedly sexually abused by Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. She is understood to have been among the last of Epstein's victims to receive compensation from his estate, valued at approximately £500 million at the time of his death.
In a surprising twist, documents reveal the woman emailed Epstein a supportive message the day after his arrest in July 2019. Mr Wander explained this as a "trauma bond," stating that "Jeffrey used emotional manipulation, psychological pressure, sexual violence and coercive control to gaslight her into offering support."
Growing Pressure on the Former Prince
These latest allegations represent the first time Andrew has been accused of directly introducing a woman to Epstein, potentially sending shockwaves through the Royal Family and increasing pressure on the disgraced royal.
The revelations will likely fuel calls for Andrew to provide evidence to the US Congress about his friendship with the convicted sex offender. Andrew was stripped of all his royal titles last month after a leaked email proved he had lied during his BBC Newsnight interview about having "never had any contact" with Epstein after their December 2010 meeting in New York.
Mr Wander emphasised that his client was inspired to come forward by Virginia Giuffre's "courage," adding that "she has expressed feelings of ambivalence toward Prince Andrew and initially did not wish to identify him publicly. But Virginia Giuffre's courage taught her that fear should not stand in the way of justice."
Andrew did not respond to requests for comment regarding these latest allegations.
