New Book Claims Prince Andrew Had an ‘Affair’ With Jeffrey Epstein’s Girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell
Trigger warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing
Prince Andrew was ostracized from the royal family after his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, came to light in 2019. Following the exposure of his controversial ties, Andrew made a failed attempt to restore his public image with a BBC interview, where he was believed to have shown little remorse for his actions. Despite living as a social pariah since, fresh allegations about his alleged escapades continue to emerge. A bombshell new book now claims that Andrew shared a years-long friendship with Maxwell that ultimately turned into an affair.
An investigative biography, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, by royal author Andrew Lownie, was serialized by the Daily Mail. In the book, Lownie alleged, "Andrew and Ghislaine were good friends, and over the years had been occasional lovers—and through her, the Prince had come into the ambit of her boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein." The author revealed that Maxwell helped him reinvent his social image, revamped his wardrobe, and managed his calendar, all while leveraging their connection to secure profitable business deals. He added, "She [Maxwell] introduced him to many of the women with whom he had brief flings, but she also drew him further into Epstein's net."
Lownie shared that after developing a friendship with Maxwell, Andrew was "rediscovering his youth, hooked by the wealth and reach of new friends." Cynthia Matthews, a friend of Maxwell's, also told the author that the Prince and Maxwell worked together on foreign business ventures, with the book citing "a hugely lucrative tobacco deal in Malawi that he helped broker, and a luxury vehicle deal in Thailand." The biography further alleges, "They were spotted holding hands at a restaurant in Manhattan before flying to Miami, with model Naomi Campbell and Parisian art dealer Alexia Wallaert, on the Lolita Express, as Epstein's plane was known for flying so many young girls."
Lownie's salacious claims somewhat echo what Andrew himself said in his interview with the BBC in 2019. In the sit-down, the Duke revealed that he indeed met Epstein through Maxwell. He also acknowledged having stayed at Maxwell's home in Belgravia, but did not confirm if they had an affair. As reported by Newsweek, he said, "Well, I met through his girlfriend back in 1999, who... and I'd known her since she was at university in the U.K., and it would be, to some extent, a stretch to say that, as it were, we were close friends."
Lownie's book also reveals that Andrew regularly used the services of Epstein’s driver, Ivan Novikov, during his visits to New York. Novikov is quoted as saying, "One time I drove him and two young girls, aged around 18, to a hotel. Both girls were doing lines of cocaine. Prince Andrew was making out with one of them." Additionally, the author claims that Andrew was notorious for his affairs, most notably, one with a nanny while still married to Sarah Ferguson. He also accused the Prince of allegedly cracking vulgar jokes about women's knickers at dinners.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)