US court documents shed fresh light on the UK's Prince Andrew's association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, potentially reigniting public scrutiny over the royal's past connections.
The unsealed papers from a New York court, stemming from a 2015 lawsuit, list numerous individuals linked to Epstein, including Duke of York Prince Andrew and former US President Bill Clinton.
The court papers also include a detailed statement from a witness who claimed Andrew groped her at Epstein's house in New York.
While many names were previously redacted, a judge recently authorised their release, prompting renewed questions about Prince Andrew's involvement in Epstein's circle. A lot of information from these court papers had been disclosed previously, but it could bring in renewed embarrassment for Prince Andrew, who recently appeared on Christmas with the Royal Family in Sandringham.
Though the documents don't allege any wrongdoing on the part of those named, they do detail uncomfortable interactions witnessed by individuals like Johanna Sjoberg.
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Ms. Sjoberg's statement describes encountering Prince Andrew at Epstein's New York home in 2001, alongside Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, a woman who previously accused the Prince of sexual assault in a settled civil sex assault claim.
Notably, Ms Sjoberg's account describes her encounter, in which she claims Prince Andrew touched her breast.
The release of these documents, despite containing previously revealed information, comes at a sensitive time for the Royal Family. Prince Andrew's inclusion alongside figures like Clinton fuels renewed public attention towards his controversial past ties to Epstein, despite the Prince's consistent denial of any wrongdoing.
While the legal implications for those named remain unclear, the unsealed documents cast a spotlight on the intricate web of connections surrounding Epstein and raise further questions about Prince Andrew's involvement in that network.
