Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein spanned decades
The association, which began in 1999, cost the former Prince Andrew his royal titles and status, and his reputation before his arrest.
An association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein spanning more than two decades has cost Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor his royal titles and status, and shredded his reputation. Overnight Friday (NZT), he suffered a new consequence: arrest over suspicion of misconduct while in public office.
Here’s a look at the history of their relationship.
1999: According to Mountbatten-Windsor, he first met Epstein through Ghislaine Maxwell, then the disgraced financier’s girlfriend and a well-connected Briton and daughter of media tycoon Robert Maxwell.
2000: Maxwell and Epstein attended a party at Windsor Castle hosted by Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate the 40th birthday of Mountbatten-Windsor, then Prince Andrew. That was one of a number of documented meetings between Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor, who served as a British trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
2001 and 2002: According to claims later made by Virginia Giuffre, Mountbatten-Windsor forced her to have sex with him. He has always denied claims of wrongdoing.
2008: Epstein was jailed after pleading guilty in Florida to a charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution. He was released the next year but kept for a time under house arrest.
2010: Mountbatten-Windsor and Epstein were photographed walking in Central Park in New York City. The former prince later claimed that the meeting was to end the friendship and that he wanted to do so in person.
2015: Giuffre said in papers filed in Florida for a civil case that she was forced to have sex with the former prince on three occasions – in London and New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein – between 2001 and 2002 – including when she was 17, underage under Florida law.
2019: Epstein was arrested in New York on sex trafficking charges and died in jail. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Later that year, Mountbatten-Windsor spoke to the BBC’s Newsnight programme, claiming he had no recollection of a photo being taken of him and Giuffre in which his arm is around her waist.
The interview backfired, and within days Mountbatten-Windsor announced he was stepping back from royal duties.
2021: Giuffre filed a civil case against the former prince that was settled the next year.
2025: Giuffre died by suicide in 2025. Her posthumous memoir portrayed Mountbatten-Windsor’s behaviour in a damning light.
Later that year, Mountbatten-Windsor said he would surrender the use of his title, the Duke of York, after discussing the matter with his elder brother, King Charles III. Early this year, he moved out of his mansion in Windsor.
2026: The most recent batch of documents released by the US Department of Justice from the Epstein files included photos of Mountbatten-Windsor appearing to kneel over an unknown woman lying on the floor.
The files also appear to show that while he was a trade envoy, he forwarded sensitive government documents and commercial information to Epstein. His arrest came after accusations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared confidential information with Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Written by: Stephen Castle
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