Andrew and Peter Mandelson pictured in bathrobes with Jeffrey Epstein | UK news
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson were photographed in bathrobes next to Jeffrey Epstein in the first known photo of them together.
In the newly unearthed photo, believed to have been taken on Martha’s Vineyard, an island favored by the wealthy off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the trio were captured relaxing outside at a wooden table with mugs adorned with the American flag.
No date or location was given for the photo, which is part of millions of files on Epstein that the U.S. Department of Justice released earlier this year.
However, a similar photo of Mandelson also appeared in Epstein’s 50th birthday book from 2003; in which Mandelson called Epstein his “best friend.”
In this photo, Mandelson is seen in a white bathrobe, grinning across from Epstein, who killed himself in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The former US ambassador referred to Epstein as “an intelligent and sharp-witted man” in a handwritten note in the book submitted last year to the House oversight and reform committee, the main investigative committee of the US House of Representatives.
Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor appear multiple times in the Epstein files; these include images of the latter leaning over an unidentified woman and lying on the women’s lap, as well as photographs of Mandelson giving a foot massage in her underwear.
There is no suggestion that its inclusion in the documents implies any inaccuracy.
Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, faced negative public backlash over their association with Epstein, who was jailed in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from an underage child.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles and given notice to vacate the 30-room house he occupied on a peppercorn rent in Windsor. He was arrested last month on suspicion of abuse of public office over allegations he shared confidential material with a convicted child sex offender while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing.
Mandelson was removed from his post as Britain’s ambassador to Washington last September and resigned from the House of Lords in February due to his ties to Epstein. He was arrested last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he leaked sensitive government information to Epstein while serving as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s cabinet.
Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyers said last week he would cooperate with the police investigation.
Both Mountbatten-Windsor and Mandelson were released pending investigation.
Keir Starmer has faced scrutiny over his decision to appoint Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington. The Prime Minister apologized again on Thursday for the way he handled the appointment, saying: “I was the one who made a mistake and I am the one who apologized to the victims. [Jeffrey] That’s what Epstein and I are doing.”
This comes a day after the 147-page document on Mandelson was released by the UK government on Wednesday.
