LONDON | The guilty verdict of the former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for trafficking underage girls for the benefit of Jeffrey Epstein falls to the worst for their friend Prince Andrew, himself targeted by accusations of sexual abuse.
• Read also: Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of sex trafficking
What ties united Andrew, Maxwell and Epstein?
It was through Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime friend and daughter of British media mogul Robert Maxwell, that Andrew met ex-financier Jeffrey Epstein in 1999, whom she was partner of. .
The second son of Queen Elizabeth II explained that he saw him afterwards “on an irregular basis and probably no more than once or twice a year”, indicating also having stayed in “several of his residences”.
Widely disseminated in the media, photos attest to their links. They show in particular the fallen financier, Ghislaine Maxwell and the prince taking part together in a hunting party at the royal domain of Sandringham (east of England) in 2000. Epstein and Maxwell were also photographed at the party of the 18th birthday of the princess Beatrice, Andrew’s eldest daughter, in 2006.
Another snapshot, shown at Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial in New York, shows the former socialite sitting with Epstein – who has since committed suicide in prison – on the porch of a wooden cabin at Balmoral’s private royal residence. , in Scotland.
Prince Andrew has said he regrets seeing Epstein again after the American was released from prison in 2010, as another photo attests. The latter was convicted in 2008 for having led young girls to prostitute themselves in Florida. But the purpose of his visit was, he said, to cut ties.
What is Andrew accused of?
Prince Andrew is being sued in New York for sexual abuse by a victim of American billionaire Virginia Giuffre, facts he has always disputed. He and his accuser had not left for Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial.
The prince is accused in the complaint of having “sexually assaulted” Mrs. Giuffre, then a minor, more than 20 years ago, on three occasions: in London at Ghislaine Maxwell’s, and in the properties of the businessman in New York and the Virgin Islands.
A high-profile photo shows the prince and the young girl holding each other by the waist, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background.
A pilot who worked for Epstein also testified at the trial to have transported celebrities like Prince Andrew, Donald Trump and Bill Clinton on a billionaire’s plane.
What does Prince Andrew say?
61-year-old Prince Andrew has always “categorically” denied such accusations and expressed doubts about the authenticity of this photo.
He attempted to defend himself in an interview deemed calamitous to the BBC in November 2019, where he did not express a single regret for his friendship with Epstein nor the slightest empathy for his victims.
Despite his denials, his association with the American businessman had plunged him into turmoil and forced him to retire from public life.
What are the implications of the Maxwell trial for Prince Andrew?
The guilty verdict of Ghislaine Maxwell falls to the worst for Prince Andrew, even if his case, which is pending before the American justice, is the subject of a separate procedure.
the Daily Telegraph believes that he is giving water to the mill according to his accuser, fueling fears that he could be considered “guilty by association”.
Judicially, nothing changes for the prince, ninth in the order of succession to the British throne.
But “on the other hand, to a certain extent, everything has changed, certainly as regards public perception”, estimated Jonny Dymond, royal correspondent of the BBC on the radio: “It was Ghislaine Maxwell who was (his) friend for so many years ”and who appears“ in so many photos ”with him.
Welcoming the verdict on Twitter, Virginia Giuffre recalled “having lived the horror of Maxwell’s assaults” and said she hoped that others than Maxwell “held account”.