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A new biography, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,” by Andrew Lownie, published in the Mail on Sunday, reveals that Prince Andrew had an affair with Ghislaine Maxwell. This comes after the Duke of York described himself as a friend to Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend during a disastrous 2019 BBC interview.
However, the book presents a more complex narrative. It claims Andrew and Maxwell were good friends over the years, occasionally lovers, and that through Maxwell, Prince Andrew became involved with Jeffrey Epstein.
The biography states: “Andrew and Ghislaine were good friends, and over the years had been occasional lovers—and through her, the prince had come into the ambit of her boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein.”
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Prince Andrew and Maxwell but received no comment.
A picture of Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ascot Racecourse on June 22, 2000, by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images, is included in the article.
Why It Matters
Andrew’s friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein has been a persistent issue. The scandal resurfaced after a Department of Justice and FBI memo stated there was no evidence Epstein blackmailed prominent figures, no new charges for co-conspirators, and concluded that he died by suicide while facing sex trafficking charges.
The memo sparked backlash from Donald Trump’s MAGA base, who felt they had been promised explosive new information. It brought renewed focus on Trump’s own friendship with Epstein, which he claims he terminated after the financier “stole” young women working in his Mar-a-Lago spa. Trump has previously denied knowing about Epstein’s criminal sex trafficking operation.
Epstein was thought to have abused hundreds of girls. Maxwell was jailed for 20 years in 2022 for her role in sex trafficking, and she recently interviewed by the FBI as part of a Trump administration review. Prince Andrew was accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, who died earlier this year. He denied the allegations and settled a lawsuit without accepting liability.
What To Know
According to author Andrew Lownie, Prince Andrew had been “rudderless” in 2001 after leaving the Royal Navy. Maxwell helped him reinvent himself, including his wardrobe and social calendar, while also using him for lucrative business deals. A friend quoted by the book said, “‘He’s spiralling out of control, he’s even started dressing like a 25-year-old in jeans and blazer.'”
Lownie writes that Andrew “appeared to be rediscovering his youth, hooked by the wealth and reach of new friends.” Maxwell introduced him to many women with whom he had brief flings. In 2000, they were spotted holding hands at a Manhattan restaurant before flying to Miami with Naomi Campbell and Alexia Wallaert on Epstein’s plane.
Giuffre claimed she was trafficked to London in March 2001 to meet Prince Andrew, alleging that she was made to have sex with him by Epstein and Maxwell. Andrew denies the allegations.
What Prince Andrew Said About Epstein and Maxwell
During his BBC interview, Prince Andrew said he met Ghislaine Maxwell through her back in 1999. He described their relationship as “a stretch” to say they were close friends and that they saw each other once or twice a year at most. He acknowledged staying at Maxwell’s Belgravia home but denied any sexual contact with young women trafficked by Epstein.
Andrew Lownie’s Book
Prince Andrew has not publicly responded to the book, but the Duke of Sussex’s legal team sent a formal letter to The Mail disputing passages that detailed a fist fight between them and suggestions that Andrew believed Meghan Markle was an opportunist.
