In the latest release of the Epstein files, it has emerged Prince Andrew took a trip to see convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while he was in the US promoting a child protection charity. Newly released documents show Andrew visited Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida, while on a taxpayer-funded visit to New York.
The Duke of York visited the US in May 2000 on a trip to promote a £250m fundraising campaign for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). However, new documents show he could have breached royal travel guidelines by breaking off to fly from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Palm Beach on May 12 on Epstein’s private jet with him and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to The Observer.
As reported in the Telegraph, a spokesperson for NSPCC said: “Prince Andrew was a patron of the NSPCC Full Stop campaign, which ended in 2009. The NSPCC is appalled at the crimes committed by the now-deceased financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The charity would not typically be involved in arranging a Royal Family member’s travel or overnight accommodation for an NSPCC event.”
The Court Circular states the Duke of York flew to New York on May 11 to attend an NSPCC reception, but the next entry on the official record of the Royal Family’s duties states that he returned to London on May 15.
Disgraced financier Epstein was jailed in 2008 for 18 months after pleading guilty to soliciting sex from girls as young as 14. Even though he was registered as a sex offender, he was released on probation after 13 months.
Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of running a “vast network” of underage girls, died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial for serial sex trafficking of women and girls.
Prince Andrew has previously strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
