Daily Record

Prince at party with paedophile Epstein & movie director Woody

Andy ‘guest of honour’ says source in NY

- BY CHRISTOPHE­R BUCKTIN

THE Duke of York was treated like the “guest of honour” at a party thrown by Jeffrey Epstein after the billionair­e paedophile was freed from prison, a source claims.

Prince Andrew and Woody Allen were among those who attended the intimate dinner at Epstein’s £62million New York townhouse.

It took place in 2010, after financier Epstein was released from a 13-month sentence for soliciting girls as young as 14 for sex.

One guest said those there included US TV hosts Katie Couric, Charlie Rose and George Stephanopo­ulos.

Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of disgraced former newspaper owner Robert Maxwell, was also there.

A source told the Daily Beast website: “Epstein and Andrew were not there to begin with, then the doors were flung open, and they made their entrance.

“They were both charmless, they looked like bored people who wanted to be entertaine­d.”

The source said Epstein called the prince “Andy” and was “clearly confident” in his company.

“He wanted to show how comfortabl­e he was in his presence, and make clear that while he was a guest of honour, he was a regular, routine and repeat guest,” they added.

“Epstein, Andrew, and Ghislaine were a trio, a party within the party, the insiders among the other guests.”

Another attendee said: “There were a lot of ugly old men, with Prince Andrew in the middle of it all. We left pretty quickly.”

Epstein, who was last week charged with underage sex traffickin­g offences, was reportedly introduced to the prince in the 90s by Ghislaine Maxwell. At the time, she was the American’s girlfriend.

The party came two months after the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

Sources said the main topic of conversati­on was the upcoming wedding of the future Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

It is claimed Couric told Prince Andrew she would be broadcasti­ng live from outside Westminste­r Abbey during the ceremony and asked: “If I mail your BlackBerry, will you give me the details on what is happening inside?” It came in the same month a photo was taken of Andrew deep in conversati­on with Epstein in Central Park, New York.

The picture was published the following February and made headlines around the world, with questions raised over the prince’s judgment.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace last night said that Andrew, who had previously holidayed with Epstein in Thailand and invited him for stays at Windsor Castle and the Queen’s country residence, Sandringha­m, had not seen the paedophile since the photo was taken.

A spokesman for the Palace said: “The Duke of York had not visited any home of Mr Epstein or met with him since December 2010 when the photograph in Central Park was taken.”

They looked like bored people who wanted to be entertaine­d PARTY GUEST ON PRINCE ANDREW AND PAL EPSTEIN

 ??  ?? WALK & TALK Prince and Epstein in Central Park
WALK & TALK Prince and Epstein in Central Park
 ??  ?? MAXWELL Tycoon’s daughter allegedly introduced pair ALLEN Movie director is also said to have been at party
MAXWELL Tycoon’s daughter allegedly introduced pair ALLEN Movie director is also said to have been at party

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