Prince Andrew clarifies his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
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Prince Andrew has commented on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, saying he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to [the] arrest and conviction” of the deceased financier, The Guardian reports.
In a statement on Saturday, the Duke of York said there had been immense speculation about the convicted sex offender who killed himself in a New York jail earlier this month.
The BBC said that in the statement the Duke of York said he wanted to “clarify the facts” around his “former association or friendship” with the US financier. He said it was a “mistake” to meet Epstein after he left prison in 2010.
“During the time I knew him, I saw him infrequently and probably no more than only once or twice a year,” the 59-year-old prince said. “I have stayed in a number of his residences. At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.”
The duke – who said he first met Epstein in 1999 – added that he had “tremendous sympathy” for all those affected by Epstein’s behaviour. “His suicide has left many unanswered questions and I acknowledge and sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.”
