A photograph released Friday as part of newly unsealed federal records connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation appears to show Prince Andrew reclining across the laps of several women at an event attended by Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The undated image, included in a large tranche of documents the DOJ made public this week, shows the former royal — identified in accompanying materials as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — dressed in a suit and bow tie and smiling with his eyes closed. Faces of the women in the photo were redacted. Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking-related charges, is visible standing behind the group, also with her face obscured in published copies.

Epstein Files
DOJ via The Sun

As per The Sun, a DOJ spokesperson said the agency had released hundreds of thousands of pages of records in response to a federal transparency law and that many images and documents remain heavily redacted to protect the privacy and safety of victims and others. The spokesperson declined to comment on the provenance or date of the photograph.

There is no indication in the released materials that the photograph itself is evidence of criminal wrongdoing, and neither Andrew nor Maxwell have been charged in connection with the new file release. Maxwell is serving a sentence in the United States following her conviction.

Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his Duke of York title and other royal honors amid scrutiny over his association with Epstein, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He has denied allegations by Virginia Giuffre, who has said she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the prince in 2001 at Maxwell's London home. Andrew said in a 2019 BBC interview that he did not recall meeting Giuffre; a photograph that surfaced showing him with his arm around a young woman at Maxwell's home became a focal point of public controversy.

Giuffre's allegations and the negative publicity surrounding Andrew's relationship with Epstein led Buckingham Palace to announce in 2022 that the prince had returned his military affiliations and royal patronages and would no longer undertake public duties on behalf of the monarchy.

The DOJ's release — the first of multiple planned batches under the so-called "Epstein Files Transparency Act" — includes thousands of PDF links, photographs and other materials. Some images show other prominent figures in social settings with Epstein, including a photograph in the files that appears to show former President Bill Clinton in a pool with Epstein and another person, and a separate image that seems to depict pop star Michael Jackson near Epstein. Many images are redacted or lack identifying information.

According to NPR, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said previously that the department would release "several hundred thousand" documents but that releases would be staggered to balance public transparency with privacy protections for victims. The files were made public ahead of a court-imposed deadline tied to the transparency law.

Jeffrey Epstein died in an apparent suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death prompted numerous investigations and lawsuits and intensified scrutiny of his extensive social network.

Representatives for Prince Andrew did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. A spokesperson for Maxwell declined to comment.

Tags
Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine maxwell, Prince Andrew