Money, sexual abuse and confidential information/ How Prince Andrew sank

2026-02-22 15:40:00, Blog CNA

Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom and Jeffrey Epstein met in 1999: they were introduced by Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of a major English publisher, sentimental partner and collaborator (in business and vice) of the pedophile billionaire.

Queen Elizabeth's third son invited Epstein and Maxwell to dinners and parties at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and even sat them on the throne. He later visited Epstein at his home in New York and on the financier's Caribbean island.

On one side is a member of the royal family always looking for money, because for his tastes there is never enough; on the other, a businessman enriched by blackmail and fraud, who needs a network of powerful friends and privileged information to survive.

In this dating carousel, a young woman, Virginia Giuffre, claims that she was forced by Epstein to have sex with Andrew at least three times in the early 2000s, starting when she was 17 years old, a minor.

Prince Andrew, the accusation that won't go away

An accusation that has constantly followed Andrew over time, which he has firmly denied: "I never knew him," he says in an interview with the BBC.

But when Donald Trump, re-elected president, orders the release of millions of emails and documents on the case, the truth comes to light, even though both Epstein and Virginia have since died, both declared suicides. The photo of Andrew hugging Virginia is authentic.

The two did indeed have sexual relations. There are also indications of Andrew's abuse of other women, including a photo of him on top of a girl.

For this, the US Congress had asked Andrew to testify under oath to show what he knows. The former prince had so far refused. But it is another line of investigation that led to his arrest yesterday morning.

From 2001 to 2011, Prince Andrew held the position of UK Foreign Trade Representative, within the Ministry of Industry. In this role, as in his private life, he has been noted for scandal, suspicion and disregard for the rules.

He is accused of corruption in relations with Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates. Emails published by the US Department of Justice reveal that Prince Andrew passed confidential information about British state affairs to Epstein. This is enough to charge him with abuse of power. /bota.al