Image of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Peter Mandelson, and Jeffrey Epstein Released
An image believed to depict Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson alongside convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has surfaced in documents released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
This marks the first known photograph showing the three men together, although the time and location of the image remain unspecified.
According to , the photo was taken in Martha's Vineyard, USA. In the image, former UK ambassador Lord Mandelson and Prince Andrew are seen wearing white bathrobes, while Epstein is dressed in a dark shirt and white trousers. The trio is seated around a wooden deck table, with mugs adorned with the US flag arranged in front of them.
There is no implication that inclusion in the documents indicates any wrongdoing.
Investigations and Arrests
Both Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Mandelson have been arrested separately on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to their connections with Epstein. They have since been released under investigation.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.
Lord Mandelson has publicly maintained that he believes he has not acted criminally. He has stated that he accepted Epstein and his lawyer's account of events and only became aware of the full truth after Epstein's death in 2019.
Their associations with the late financier have resulted in significant consequences: Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles, and Lord Mandelson was dismissed from his role as the UK's ambassador to the United States.
Allegations Against Mountbatten-Windsor
Mountbatten-Windsor has faced accusations of having sexual contact with Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager. A civil case filed by Giuffre was settled without any admission of guilt, and Mountbatten-Windsor has strongly denied these allegations.
Earlier this year, additional photographs were released in a new batch of US documents, appearing to show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the ground. In two of these images, he is seen touching the unidentified, fully clothed individual on her stomach. Another image shows him looking directly at the camera.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently and emphatically denied any wrongdoing.
In mid-February, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in Norfolk. Thames Valley Police stated they were assessing a complaint regarding the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor served as a UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
Lord Mandelson's Involvement and Investigations
Lord Mandelson was dismissed as ambassador after emails he sent to Epstein, expressing support while Epstein faced sex offence charges in 2008, were revealed in the Epstein files.
The DOJ has also released images of Mandelson standing in his underwear.
Last month, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into allegations that, during his tenure as a government minister, Lord Mandelson passed on market-sensitive government information to Epstein.
Lord Mandelson has not publicly commented in recent weeks on the Epstein files. However, the BBC understands that his position is that he has not acted criminally and was not motivated by financial gain.
