Prince Andrew ‘Hosted’ Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge — And the Monarchy Is Under Fresh Fire

New reporting by the BBC, confirmed by the Irish Times, reveals that Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein at his private residence, Royal Lodge (on the grounds of Windsor Castle) in 2006 — just two months after the United States had issued an arrest warrant for Epstein on charges of sexual assault of a minor.

Earlier accounts had indicated the trio visited Windsor Castle in connection with Prince Andrew’s daughter Princess Beatrice’s 18th-birthday masked ball, but it had not been publicly confirmed that they were received at Andrew’s private home. The BBC was able to match patio walls and trees in archival photographs of Epstein and Weinstein at the event to image references of Royal Lodge’s garden.

The 2006 visit occurred at a highly controversial moment: Epstein was already a fugitive subject of U.S. legal proceedings. To host him — and Maxwell and Weinstein — at a royal family-member’s private residence raises fresh questions about the extent of Andrew’s connection to Epstein and whether the royal establishment was fully aware of the risks. The revelations come as part of a broader wave of scrutiny: in October 2025 Andrew relinquished his title of Duke of York and other honors amid the ongoing fallout from Epstein-related allegations.

Andrew had previously stepped back from public royal duties in 2019 after the disastrous BBC Newsnight interview about his relationship with Epstein and his denials of any wrongdoing in connection with Virginia Giuffre’s allegations. In 2022 he settled a U.S. civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre, though without admitting liability.

The latest revelations illuminate a deeper level of association: hosting the convicted film-producer Weinstein alongside Epstein and Maxwell at a private royal residence suggests a level of social access that goes beyond mere acquaintance. Some media reports say a witness recalled seeing Epstein and Weinstein in the back garden of Royal Lodge while attending the pre-party event for Beatrice’s celebration.

As of late October 2025, Andrew is reportedly in advanced talks with senior aides of his brother, King Charles III, about vacating Royal Lodge. The property is a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park that Andrew has occupied under a long-term lease at a nominal “peppercorn” rent. Critics now say that arrangement was unfair to the public and raises questions about the Crown Estate’s governance.

Additionally, the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl in October added new energy to calls for transparency. In it, she alleged that Andrew had sexual encounters with her when she was 17 and trafficked by Epstein — allegations he continues to deny.

Observers say this episode underscores deeper problems: the royal family’s handling of the Epstein scandal has long been criticized for lack of accountability and for the perception of privilege shielding powerful figures from the consequences of serious allegations. Andrew’s continued use of a nearly rent-free estate and the lack of clarity on his post-royal financial arrangements have drawn increasing public and parliamentary scrutiny. His loss of titles, while symbolically significant, leaves open questions about who will hold him to account.

The confirmation that Prince Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein at Royal Lodge adds a new layer of detail to an already explosive scandal.