Prince Andrew reportedly hosted Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge after his daughter Beatrice’s 18th birthday party in 2006, as per a recent report by the BBC. This stay occurred two months following an arrest warrant issued in the US against Epstein for sexual assault of a minor.
The trio, later convicted of sexual offenses, had been previously seen at Windsor Castle but the fact that they stayed at Royal Lodge was unknown until now. Buckingham Palace and Prince Andrew’s representatives have been approached for comments on this matter by the Mirror.
Following the news, it is said that Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have agreed to vacate Royal Lodge and move to separate residences. Discussions are underway with Prince Charles’ representatives for Andrew to voluntarily leave Royal Lodge due to controversies surrounding the low rent he pays for the mansion where he has resided for over two decades.
A source revealed to The Sun that Andrew is eyeing Frogmore Cottage, the former residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, while Sarah may move to Adelaide Cottage. Although Charles offered Frogmore Cottage to Andrew earlier, the prince declined the offer. Amidst the ongoing scrutiny of Andrew’s ties to Epstein, Charles faced a heckler at Lichfield Cathedral, questioning his knowledge of the situation and suggesting parliamentary debates on the royal family.
Despite Andrew’s attempts to distance himself from past controversies by relinquishing titles, criticism continues over his long-term occupancy of the property. The prince, denying all allegations against him, has been under increased scrutiny for his living arrangements.