Jeffrey Epstein used Prince Andrew as a gateway into elite royal and political networks, according to new claims by royal biographer Andrew Lownie, who now suggests the scandal surrounding the late financier may extend deeper into the British monarchy than previously understood.
Speaking on The Royalist podcast hosted by The Daily Beast, Lownie argued that Epstein saw Andrew as uniquely valuable because of the legitimacy and social access attached to his royal status.
"He saw him as someone who gave Epstein credibility, gave him access to various people, not least perhaps other members of the royal family," Lownie said during the interview.
The remarks reignited scrutiny surrounding Andrew's long-documented relationship with Epstein, which has already cost the prince his royal duties, military affiliations and public standing inside the monarchy.
But Lownie's latest comments widened the lens beyond Andrew himself, hinting at what he described as "stories that perhaps other members of the royal family may have been involved with Epstein," though he stopped short of presenting verified evidence or naming confirmed participants.
The claims were framed largely as reported anecdotes and allegations gathered during research for Lownie's book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.
Among the examples cited during the podcast was an allegation from a woman who reportedly claimed that Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh attended a dinner with Epstein in 1994 while dating Prince Edward. As of publication, there has been no public response from Sophie or Buckingham Palace regarding the allegation.
Lownie suggested Epstein actively cultivated connections across royal households, portraying the financier not merely as a sex offender but as a figure interested in influence, leverage and elite access.
He described Epstein's broader operation as an effort to "compromise financial, political and other figures in order to take secrets out of them or blackmail them."
Central to Lownie's argument is the idea that Andrew functioned as a kind of social credential for Epstein among the global elite.
According to the biographer, photographs showing Andrew "sitting on the throne in Buckingham Palace or going up to Sandringham" became powerful status symbols inside Epstein's network. Lownie claimed invitations tied to royal properties, including the possibility of "a shooting weekend up in Sandringham," operated as a "useful sort of negotiating tool with other people."
In his book, Lownie reportedly characterizes Andrew as both "easy prey" and a "useful i***t," arguing the prince underestimated how heavily Epstein benefited from proximity to royalty.
The relationship, according to Lownie, was not entirely one-sided.
Drawing on research and interviews, including comments attributed to Epstein associate Steven Hoffenberg, the author said Epstein assisted Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson financially while offering access to luxury travel and influential social circles.
Hoffenberg allegedly referred to Andrew as Epstein's "Super Bowl trophy," a phrase Lownie cited to illustrate the symbolic value the prince carried within Epstein's orbit.
Questions surrounding when Andrew first met Epstein also resurfaced during the interview. Andrew has publicly maintained that the pair met in 1999. Lownie disputed that timeline, claiming his research suggests Andrew and Ferguson knew Epstein years earlier.
The renewed attention arrives after an extraordinary period for the House of Windsor.
In late 2025, King Charles III removed Andrew's remaining royal titles amid renewed fallout from the Epstein scandal. Months later, Andrew reportedly left Royal Lodge after decades at the Windsor estate.
Then, in February 2026, Andrew was arrested at Sandringham on suspicion of misconduct in public office following reports involving emails allegedly linked to Epstein while Andrew served as Britain's trade envoy. He was later released under investigation and has not been charged.
The former Duke of York has consistently denied wrongdoing related to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lownie suggested the broader scandal may continue expanding despite signs that authorities could avoid pursuing additional charges.
"I think the scandal may grow beyond just Andrew [Mountbatten-Windsor]," he said during the podcast.
At the same time, he expressed skepticism that the public would ever receive a full accounting of the affair, adding: "We're already being prepared for no charges to be laid. The last thing the royal family wants is all their dirty linen aired in public."
Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives for the Royal Family publicly commented on Lownie's latest allegations following the interview.
