The Daily Telegraph

The politician’s daughter seen waving to Duke

Katherine Keating was filmed waving goodbye to the Duke of York

- By

Nick Allen, Rozina Sabur and Margi Murphy in Los Angeles

THE daughter of a former Australian prime minister has been drawn into the scandal around the Duke of York as it was claimed that Jeffrey Epstein boasted about his friendship with the royal to his alleged victims.

Katherine Keating, 37, was identified as the brunette seen waving goodbye to the Duke as she left Epstein’s house in New York in 2010.

Her identity emerged as three new accusers sued Epstein’s estate for damages.

One of the women, who claimed to have been raped by Epstein, said the late financier “bragged” about his connection to the Duke.

Ms Keating is the daughter of Paul Keating, the former Australian leader.

She moved to New York in 2010 to be closer to her then boyfriend Andre Balazs, owner of London restaurant Chiltern Firehouse.

Mr Keating’s secretary said he was “aware” of the situation but would not be commenting.

Ms Keating is thought to be with her sister in Los Angeles. In the past, she has been seen with the Duke’s daughter Princess Eugenie.

There is no suggestion that she was involved in any of Epstein’s crimes or any other wrongdoing.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his prison cell earlier this month while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing underage girls.

One of his latest accusers, who uses the pseudonym Priscilla Doe, says in legal papers that he “commonly bragged that Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, and the Sultan of Dubai were among his closest friends”.

“These circumstan­ces caused the plaintiff to believe that Epstein and his organisati­on was powerful enough to cause her serious harm if she did not strictly follow his and their demands,” the documents say.

It is unclear to whom the “Sultan of Dubai” refers as Dubai is not ruled by sultans.

The woman also claims she was forced to have sex with a man while Epstein choked her.

Another complaint, under the pseudonym Lisa Doe, said: “Jeffrey Epstein made it clear there were many powerful people behind him.”

Epstein signed a will two days before taking his own life in jail. He left his $577 million (£475 million) fortune in a trust, which could mean a long battle as alleged victims seek damages.

♦ Last night, it was alleged that the Duke of York flew on a private jet with Epstein and Virginia Roberts.

In court papers, seen by The Sun, pilot David Rodgers, 66, said Epstein, the Duke and the then 17-yearold Ms Roberts – who claimed Epstein used her as a sex slave – flew to the US Virgin Islands together.

Ms Roberts claims the Duke had sex with her when she was a teenager. He has strenuousl­y denied that.

Buckingham Palace has branded the allegation­s “false and without any foundation”, stating: “Any suggestion of impropriet­y with underage minors” by the Duke was “categorica­lly untrue”. Ms Roberts’ allegation­s were later struck from the court record.

In releasing the court papers, the Federal Appeals Court in New York noted that materials submitted to a court should not be understood as firm findings or “some sort of marker of reliabilit­y.”

‘Epstein commonly bragged that Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew were among his closest friends’

 ??  ?? Katherine Keating, 37, the daughter of Australia’s former leader Paul Keating, was drawn into the scandal surroundin­g the Duke of York after she was identified as a woman seen waving goodbye to him as she left Jeffrey Epstein’s house in New York.
Katherine Keating, 37, the daughter of Australia’s former leader Paul Keating, was drawn into the scandal surroundin­g the Duke of York after she was identified as a woman seen waving goodbye to him as she left Jeffrey Epstein’s house in New York.
 ??  ?? Katherine Keating, right, pictured in 2014 with Princess Eugenie, actress Mickey Sumner, far left, and designer Misha Nonoo
Katherine Keating, right, pictured in 2014 with Princess Eugenie, actress Mickey Sumner, far left, and designer Misha Nonoo

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom