Prince Andrew ‘delayed family holiday’ to party on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island
Prince Andrew delayed and shortened a family holiday to visit Jeffrey Epstein’s private island for a party attended by a teenager who later claimed to have been forced to have sex with the Royal, according to reports.
The Duke of York was originally scheduled to go to the Bahamas in the week following Easter Sunday in 2001 for a break with his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, then 12 and 11.
But the Daily Mail reports that he “tore up long-standing official travel arrangements involving Buckingham Palace, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Metropolitan Police” in order “to follow” convicted sex offender Epstein to Little St James, about 1,000 miles to the southeast of the Bahamas.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Attended by his senior Personal Protection Officer (PPO), the Royal spend 48 hours on the island at what sources have described as a “weekend-long party”, the paper adds.
Flight logs are said to show that Virginia Roberts, then Virginia Giuffre, was also present. Roberts claims that she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the late financier’s friends, including Andrew.
She has alleged that the third time she and the Duke had sex was during an orgy on Little St James that year.
The Mail reports that Andrew had also stayed at Epstein’s New York mansion immediately before jetting off for the Easter trip - despite explicitly telling Emily Maitlis that he had not during his infamous Newsnight interview in November last year.
Little Saint James is at the centre of many of the allegations against Epstein and his alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maxwell is currently being detained at the Metropolitan detention centre in Brooklyn on charges that she helped procure girls as young as 14 for Epstein to sexually abuse, and of perjury.
The Guardian reports that she has “lodged a $28.5m (£21.4m) bail bid that includes waiving her extradition rights and employing armed guards to protect her after receiving death threats”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'It may not be surprising that creative work is used without permission'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 simple items to help make your airplane seat more comfortable
The Week Recommends Gel cushions and inflatable travel pillows make a world of difference
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Duchy Files: how bad is the scandal for King Charles?
Today's Big Question Making millions in rent from the NHS and armed forces a 'PR disaster' for royal family
By The Week UK Published
-
Kate and William: adapting to the Insta age
Talking Point Communicating directly with the public lets the royals circumvent the media machine but it comes with its own perils
By The Week UK Published
-
Princess of Wales returns to work in first meeting of 2024
Speed Reed Early Years project has been the 'cornerstone' of Catherine's charitable work
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Princess of Wales celebrates end of chemotherapy
Speed Read The former Kate Middleton shares rare glimpse into family life as she marks milestone in her cancer treatment
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
King Charles portrait: 'mystique' or 'monstrosity'?
Talking Points While the artist hoped to portray the 'magic' of the monarchy, critics have lambasted the 'spooky' work
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Prince Harry returns to mark 10 years of Invictus – but he won't see the King
Speed Read Duke of Sussex will not see his father during London visit 'due to His Majesty's full programme'
By Hollie Clemence, The Week UK Published
-
Duchess of Gloucester: the hard-working royal you've never heard of
Under The Radar Outer royal 'never expected' to do duties but has stepped up to the plate
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Manipulated' photo of UK's Princess Kate spiked
speed read The first official image of Kate Middleton since January has been retracted
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published