Fresh and explosive allegations have surfaced linking the disgraced Prince Andrew directly to Jeffrey Epstein's activities, this time within the walls of a cherished royal residence. A woman groomed by the late financier claims she was flown to Balmoral Castle in 1999 with the expectation she would massage the Duke of York.
Picnic at the Castle and an Unwanted Request
According to an exclusive account given to The Mail on Sunday, the former model, now a mother in her 50s, was part of a group that included Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell which travelled to the Queen's Scottish estate in 1999. Prince Andrew is said to have personally welcomed the party upon their arrival at the 50,000-acre estate and even entertained them with a picnic on the grounds.
During the visit, the woman alleges she was instructed to give Andrew a massage. She states she refused the request, telling the newspaper: ‘It felt weird and I didn’t want to.’ At the time, the 25-year-old was being groomed by Epstein as part of his network of young women and underage girls, whom he exploited as sex slaves.
A Pattern of Royal Hospitality for Epstein
This latest testimony intensifies scrutiny over Andrew's association with the convicted paedophile and his repeated use of official royal homes to host him. The Balmoral claim follows the recent emergence of a photograph from the so-called ‘Epstein Files’ showing Andrew, in 2000, sprawled across the laps of five women during a ‘shooting weekend’ at Sandringham, another private royal residence, with Epstein and Maxwell.
The woman's story began in New York, where her modelling agency sent her to meet Epstein for what she believed was an audition. Instead, the financier, who was actively recruiting victims, housed her in a Manhattan apartment and paid for her to train as a masseuse. For three months, she provided Epstein with sexually intimate massages, believing he was preparing to traffic her to other powerful men.
Her association with Epstein lasted around a year, during which she says she was also flown to Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort and to Epstein's private island in the Caribbean. Her massage services for Epstein ended after she complained when one of his friends made it clear he expected sex from her.
Questions Over a ‘Blind Eye’ at Court
The revelations have prompted serious questions about oversight and protocol within the royal household. Royal author Andrew Lownie stated: ‘That this young woman was flown to Balmoral raises questions about Andrew’s abuse of royal residences and the suspicion that courtiers turned a blind eye.’
The claims add to the mountain of allegations and public relations disasters that have engulfed the Duke of York since his friendship with Epstein was exposed. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing. When approached for comment on these new allegations, Andrew did not respond. Buckingham Palace also declined to comment.
