Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein at Royal Lodge

Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein at Royal Lodge

Politics investigations correspondent Joe Pike reported that Prince Andrew welcomed Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell to Royal Lodge during his daughter Beatrice’s 18th birthday festivities. This event occurred in 2006, just two months after Epstein faced a US arrest warrant for the sexual assault of a minor. While previous accounts mentioned the trio’s presence at Windsor Castle, it was not widely known that they were guests at Andrew’s private residence, sparking further scrutiny on his ties to Epstein.

The visit to Royal Lodge preceded the main celebration held at Windsor Castle, where a champagne reception and banquet took place in the state rooms. Epstein’s subsequent arrest in Florida, merely eight days after this gathering, drew attention to Andrew’s decision to include him despite the looming legal troubles. When questioned in 2019 about inviting Epstein, Andrew claimed he was unaware of the situation in the United States at the time of the event.

Recent developments have seen Andrew renounce his royal titles amidst public interest in his association with Epstein, particularly after Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir implicated him in alleged illicit activities. Despite reaching a financial settlement with Giuffre in 2022, Andrew has consistently denied any misconduct. Concerns over his financing and residence arrangements, notably the minimal rent he paid for Royal Lodge, have raised questions regarding his future living situation within the Windsor Castle grounds. Potential relocation options like Adelaide Cottage and Frogmore Cottage have been suggested to Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

A picture released during Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial revealed her and Epstein as regular visitors to royal residences in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Instances of their presence included a stay at Balmoral in 1999, an invitation by Andrew to Windsor Castle in 2000, and a birthday celebration for Maxwell at Sandringham. Additional images surfaced of Maxwell taking a private tour of Buckingham Palace alongside Kevin Spacey in 2002, a visit reportedly organized by Andrew. Despite Epstein’s absence from this tour, Andrew’s extensive interactions with Epstein, stays at his properties, and visits to Maxwell’s residence have come under scrutiny in recent years

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