In a recent development, Steve Bannon, a former aide to Donald Trump, made light-hearted remarks about the connection between the US President and then-Prince Andrew through Jeffrey Epstein. This revelation stemmed from a trove of 23,000 documents provided to the US House Oversight Committee by Epstein’s estate, coinciding with Trump’s inaugural state visit to the UK. During the visit, Trump and his wife Melania participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, where they were accompanied by Prince Andrew.
Following the public appearance, Epstein sent Bannon a text message commenting on the meeting between Prince Andrew and Trump, to which Bannon responded, highlighting the significance of Epstein in linking the two figures. Meanwhile, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, accused Democrats of selectively leaking emails to tarnish President Trump’s reputation.
Virginia Giuffre, the accuser of Prince Andrew, previously worked at Trump’s Mar A Lago resort in Florida before allegedly being introduced to Epstein by Ghislaine Maxwell. In an email exchange from years ago, Prince Andrew vehemently denied any involvement in the sexual abuse allegations, stressing his innocence and requesting Epstein to corroborate his position.
The emails also shed light on interactions between Epstein and other prominent figures, including former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson, who advised Epstein to distance himself from Prince Andrew. Epstein’s correspondence with Mandelson even extended to media inquiries about the allegations surrounding Andrew and Giuffre.
Epstein’s untimely death in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges left unanswered questions, while Prince Andrew continued to face scrutiny over his association with Epstein and Giuffre’s accusations. Despite settling a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022, Prince Andrew’s reputation suffered further blows, leading to his removal from Royal Lodge by King Charles.
In a BBC interview in 2019, Prince Andrew expressed no recollection of meeting Giuffre and acknowledged his interactions with Epstein. He also confirmed visits to Epstein’s properties and recounted encounters with Epstein and Maxwell at royal residences.
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