A previously unseen photograph has emerged showing the late financier Jeffrey Epstein in attendance at the Royal Ascot horse racing event, an occasion graced by the presence of the late monarch. The image, dated to the year 2000, has prompted renewed examination of the connections between the convicted sex offender and the highest levels of British royalty.
Reports indicate that the Duke of York facilitated Epstein’s entry into the exclusive Royal Box on Ladies’ Day. This association has long been a source of significant controversy, and the discovery of this visual evidence has brought the matter back into the public eye.
Further compounding the situation, a separate photograph featuring the Duke, Epstein, and the convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell was later uncovered by law enforcement during a search of Epstein’s multi-million dollar New York residence. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the picture was displayed in a prominent location within the home, seemingly to signal the financier’s access to powerful and influential circles.
The Duke’s ties to Epstein extended beyond a single public outing. The financier was reportedly a guest at private royal functions, including a birthday celebration held at a royal castle. Their social interactions were frequent, occurring on both sides of the Atlantic.
The relationship became a major crisis for the royal household following a widely panned television interview in which the Duke was perceived to show a lack of regard for Epstein’s victims. The ensuing public outcry led him to relinquish his official public duties.
The controversy deepened significantly with a civil lawsuit in which a woman, Virginia Giuffre, accused the Duke of sexual abuse while she was a minor. The Duke has steadfastly denied all allegations. The case was ultimately settled out of court for a reported sum of £12 million, with no admission of guilt. As a consequence of the scandal, the Duke was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages.
Epstein was found deceased in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
