Prince Andrew hosted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein at Royal Lodge just days before the financier’s arrest, it has been reported.
Epstein stayed at the Windsor mansion alongside Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein as part of Andrew’s daughter Beatrice’s masked ball 18th birthday celebrations in 2006, reports the BBC.
The invite was extended two months after a US arrest warrant had been issued for Epstein for the sexual assault of a minor. He was arrested by police in Florida eight days after the event.
In 2019, Andrew told BBC Newsnight he “wasn’t aware” Epstein had an arrest warrant on his head when he was invited to his daughter’s birthday celebrations.
It has previously been reported that the trio had attended the event, but not that Andrew had hosted them prior to the event in his own private home.
The report follows revelations Andrew has paid a “peppercorn rent” on the 30-room property for 20 years amid growing calls for him to be removed from public life altogether.
In recent weeks, Prince Andrew has faced continuing furore over his ties to late paedophile Epstein, and the publication of the posthumous memoirs by his sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre. Andrew strenuously denies all accusations.
Workmen ‘frantically’ getting Frogmore Cottage ready for Andrew, reports say
Workmen are frantically preparing for the rumoured arrival of Prince Andrew at Frogmore Cottage, reports suggest.
A source told The Sun work has been going on “for weeks” at the property in Windsor, which has been suggested as Prince Andrew’s next home.
Harry and Meghan, who lived in the cottage between April 2019 and March 2020, reportedly spent £2.4 million on renovations.
“People have been inside Frogmore Cottage working day and night,” the source said. Over the weekend the lights were on after dark.
“And workmen have been coming and going for weeks. It shouldn’t need a lot of work done as Harry and Meghan spent £2.4million on repairs just six years ago and no one has lived there since, apart from the few months Princess Eugenie was there during lockdown.”
It comes after public fury over revelations he has lived rent-free in Royal Lodge for decades.
Prince Andrew hosted Epstein at Royal Lodge ‘days before his arrest’
Prince Andrew hosted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein alongside Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge while the financier was wanted for sexual assault of a minor, new reports say.
The trio attended a party at Royal Lodge as part of Andrew’s daughter Beatrice’s 18th birthday celebrations in 2006, reports the BBC.
At the time, Epstein was wanted in the US on suspicion of sexual assault. The financier was arrested in Florida eight days after the event.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight in 2019, Andrew said he was “not aware” Epstein had an arrest warrant over his head at the time of the party.
Watch: King heckled over Prince Andrew as he greets crowds
All the royal titles Prince Andrew has given up
Earlier this month, Prince Andrew relinquished all of his royal titles ahead of the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.
While he is still a prince, Andrew will no longer use his Duke of York title, but he will still retain his dukedom, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.
You can read about all of the royal titles Prince Andrew has given up below…
Anti-monarchists respond to King being heckled
Graham Smith, chief executive officer of Republic, said: “The royals need to be challenged, and if the politicians won’t do the job and the police won’t investigate then more and more members of the public will be asking the tough questions.
“We want to see broadcasters invite Charles into a studio and ask him the same questions.”
Prince Andrew could face Commons scrutiny over title and peppercorn-rent mansion
MPs could debate Prince Andrew’s conduct, his 30-room mansion and the possibility of stripping him of his dukedom.
The Government has so far refused to allocate time in the House of Commons for MPs to discuss Andrew’s situation because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.
But the issue could be raised on one of the days when ministers are not in control of the parliamentary timetable.
A Liberal Democrat source indicated to the Sunday Times that the party could be prepared to use one of its opposition days to allow MPs to discuss Andrew’s behaviour.
Editorial: The loss of Prince Andrew’s titles is a turning point for the monarchy
Andrew ‘agrees to leave Royal Lodge on condition he gets new home’
Prince Andrew has reportedly agreed to leave the Royal Lodge under the condition he can move to Frogmore Cottage.
The prince has been facing mounting pressure to leave the 30 bedroom mansion this week.
According to The Sun, Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, who also lives at Royal Lodge, have agreed to move out if Andrew can move to Frogmore Cottage, and Sarah can move to Adelaide Cottage, where the Prince and Princess of Wales are due to move out of next month.
A friend of the pair told the paper: “Andy is willing to leave, but these are his demands.
“He is realistic and knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at Royal Lodge is up.
“If he must go then he has asked for Frogmore Cottage.
“Incredibly Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage.”
Who owns Frogmore Cottage?
Frogmore Cottage is ultimately owned by the Crown Estate, but is used as a private royal residence and is not open to the public. Ownership of Frogmore Cottage is passed from monarch to monarch.
In 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into the property and used it as their official home base while in the UK. It was gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth after they married in 2018.
The payment “fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage”, which remains “the UK residence of the duke and his family”, Harry’s spokesperson said in 2020.
The couple last spent time at the cottage in 2022, when they came to the UK to attend the late Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations. They also hosted their daughter Lilibet’s first birthday there.
Prince Andrew could face Commons scrutiny over title and peppercorn-rent mansion
MPs could debate Prince Andrew’s conduct, his 30-room mansion and the possibility of stripping him of his dukedom.
The Government has so far refused to allocate time in the House of Commons for MPs to discuss Andrew’s situation because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.
But the issue could be raised on one of the days when ministers are not in control of the parliamentary timetable.
A Liberal Democrat source indicated to the Sunday Times that the party could be prepared to use one of its opposition days to allow MPs to discuss Andrew’s behaviour.
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