https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7723279/Princess-Beatrice-fiance-Edoardo-visit-fire-Prince-Andrew-Windsor-home.htmlBeatrice and her fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi visit under-fire Prince Andrew and the Queen amid claims the princess helped set up her father's 'car crash' BBC interview
Beatrice and fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi visited her father today as the Epstein scandal storm continues
Queen left Windsor at around the same time she and her husband Prince Philip may also have seen couple
Princess and mother Duchess of York helped set up Andrew's car-crash interview and Beatrice even met BBC
Beatrice's role in the royal family in terms of duties is uncertain and her wedding is expected to be pared back
Prince Charles is flying back from New Zealand and South Pacific tour completely overshadowed by brother
Heir to the throne will meet his errant sibling and he and William agree Andrew cannot ever return to duties
Poll reveals six out of 10 people believe he's damaged reputation of the Royals following Newsnight interview
By Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 14:20, 25 November 2019 | Updated: 17:58, 25 November 2019
Prince Andrew's daughter Princess Beatrice and her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi went to see her under-fire father today their first visit to his home since he was sacked by the Queen. The Duke of York's eldest child spent several hours at Windsor Castle where her father lives in the grounds as it emerged she and her mother played a central role in convincing him to confront the Epstein scandal in his now career-ending BBC interview. The Queen also left shortly afterwards, suggesting Her Majesty and her husband Prince Philip, who lives permanently at Windsor, may also have seen their granddaughter and her husband-to-be today. Beatrice will also have concerns she will be cut out of royal duties like her father as Prince Charles pushes through his plans for a slimmed-down royal family after demanding his mother the Queen ordered Andrew to retire aged 59. There are also growing calls for Beatrice and Edoardo's wedding to be pared back and any costs to the taxpayer kept to a minimum or stopped completely after Andrew's extraordinary fall from grace. Despite her father's woes the princess was pictured smiling and laughing as she left the grace-and-favour home with Edo this afternoon - but privately a source close to Beatrice said she had been 'in tears every day'. It came as Prince Charles started his journey back to Britain to face his beleaguered brother and 'read him the riot act' after his nine day royal tour of New Zealand and the Solomon Islands ended today. Furious Charles is also said to be ready to inform him that he and Prince William want to ban him from royal duties for life because of the damage he has done to the monarchy.
As the fallout over Andrew's BBC interview entered a ninth day, it emerged:
- Prince Charles is flying back to Britain to face his beleaguered brother Prince Andrew after his nine-day royal tour of New Zealand and the Solomon Islands ended and he is expected to see the Duke of York this week;
- Second alleged victim Joanna Sjoberg ready to speak to FBI about prince 'groping breast' with a Spitting Image puppet of himself in 2001;
- Woman claimed to have been raped by Epstein said the billionaire adorned his mansions with pictures of Andrew and bragged about lending cash to Fergie;
- Andrew visited Epstein after financier's release from jail to find out if he 'had any dirt on him', source claims;
The Duke of York's former wife Sarah Ferguson and daughter Princess Beatrice were among the key figures pressing him to go ahead with last weekend's disastrous Newsnight interview, it was claimed yesterday.
The Duchess of York had been keen to end the speculation about Andrew's involvement with convicted paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein ahead of Beatrice's wedding to property developer Edo Mapelli Mozzi next year.
Fergie is also believed to have been convinced that if the public could see the Duke or 'my boy', as she is said to call him talking in his own words about the scandal, they would be convinced that he was telling the truth. She could hardly have been more wrong. Last week, Andrew stepped down from Royal duties amid unrelenting criticism of his performance, branded the worst in royal history. Andrew's performance and its aftermath seem to have hit the Princess hard and she was tearful while hosting a party for her fiance's 36th birthday at the exclusive Mayfair nightclub Annabel's on Tuesday night. One member of the Princess's circle said that what should have been a celebration was a solemn and awkward affair. Prince Andrew stepped down from Royal duties the following day. 'Beatrice was sombre and make-up-free for the birthday dinner,' the source said. 'She was probably worried that her mascara would run. She seemed quite tearful at times. In fact, Beatrice has been in tears every day since the interview went out.'
Princess Beatrice is due to marry her partner Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi next year but royal biographer Christopher Warwick said the scandal would probably mean her wedding will be a much smaller affair than that afforded to her sister. Mr Warwick said: 'I think fairly or unfairly it has cast a shadow over the York family but more broadly his stepping back from official duties has kind of lifted that shadow that was about to be cast over the whole royal family.'
Andrew has always been fiercely protective of his royal status, insisting that his daughters Eugenie and Beatrice were princesses, a contrast to the children of his elder sister Anne, who have no title. Eugenie's wedding last October took place at Windsor Castle, drawing media criticism over the estimated £2million security bill borne by taxpayers. It is not known whether Beatrice had been hoping for a high-profile occasion like her sister Eugenie, but the current situation will obviously dampen any chance the York family had to lobby for a grand event. The Prince of Wales is in the air after his visit to New Zealand and the Solomon Islands was completely overshadowed by the Duke of York's disastrous interview with the BBC about Jeffrey Epstein and his 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts. Charles is believed to have called his mother the Queen and urged her to sack Andrew from all royal duties and roles immediately fearing his presence could fatally damage the British monarchy. And MailOnline revealed last week that the heir to the throne is expected to meet the duke within days and 'read him the riot act' and explain why he retired him off at the age of 59. Prince Charles and Prince William are also said to be clear that they would oppose any future return to royal duties, it emerged today. It came as it was revealed that Andrew is to 'stand back' from his 100-plus charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. A showdown between the brothers over Andrew's disastrous decision to speak publicly about his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein is inevitable, experts have said. A new poll found six out of ten people believed it had damaged the reputation of the Royal Family and a slim majority believed he should be banned from public events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday. Plans for a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace to mark Prince Andrew's 60th birthday in February have been mothballed following public revulsion over the Newsnight interview. Representatives from his charities, business sponsors and military affiliations would have been invited to the party, but many have attempted to distance themselves from him since the programme was shown. During the BBC interview, Andrew denied claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl, Virginia Roberts, but admitted he had 'let the side down' when he visited Epstein's home in New York two years after the billionaire financier's conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The decision to go ahead with the interview was initially said to have been sanctioned by the Queen, but a royal source told the Sunday Times she had not given her approval and Andrew had not told her anything about what he planned to say. The Queen was said to be 'deeply frustrated' that the scandal had overshadowed the rest of the Royal Family's work although she remained 'privately supportive' of her second son, according to the source. She effectively sacked him from royal duties last week after her heir Prince Charles and second in line to the throne, Prince William, asked her to intervene. A source told the Sunday Times William had spoken to the Queen and Charles about Andrew's future and believed his removal from public life was 'the right thing to do'. They said: 'William is becoming more and more involved in decisions about the institution [the monarchy] and he's not a huge fan of his uncle Andrew.'
Andrew agreed to withdraw from public duty but initially wanted to remain a figurehead for some 200 charities and other affiliations. But he was forced to back down after many made it clear they no longer wanted his backing. At least 23 organisations have either dropped him or accepted his resignation, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Outward Bound Trust. Several sponsors have also dropped their backing for his Pitch@Palace business initiative and the project has been told to find offices outside of Buckingham Palace. There were calls for the duke's business dealings and private finances to be scrutinised by the public finance committee, Parliament's financial watchdog. A spokesman insisted he would continue to work on the venture, now rebranded as Pitch. She added: 'The duke will be stepping back from public duty and temporarily standing back from his patronages. The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace. We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place.'
Andrew still remains a figurehead for several military organisations, including as honorary Colonel for the Grenadier Guards. Sources said some regiments felt 'awkward' about him featuring on their Christmas cards, but his military affiliations are expected to remain in place for now although the Palace has said he would not take part in any events. Royal biographer Penny Junor said she believed Andrew would be unable to return to royal duties after the scandal. 'He's absolutely finished,' she told the Sunday Times. 'If he is no longer representing or supporting the monarch in any capacity, or doing good charitably, what's the point of him?'
Woman who claims Prince Andrew groped her breast after Jeffrey Epstein flew her to New York to entertain the duke says she will testify to the FBI. A woman who claimed that Prince Andrew groped her breasts with a Spitting Image puppet of himself revealed today she now is ready to go to the FBI about him. Johanna Sjoberg says she is willing to testify under oath against the Duke of York and tell US agents all she knows about the royal's long friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The 39-year-old is the second Epstein victim to claim that Andrew had sexual contact with her while on his knee at the billionaire's New York home when she was 21. Ms Sjoberg has accused the duke of groping her by taking a Spitting Image puppet of himself and placing its hand on her breast after being jetted to the US by Epstein to 'entertain' the prince in around 2001. The bad news for Andrew came as it was revealed he is to 'stand back' from his charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Epstein scandal as experts said today: 'He's absolutely finished'.
Johanna's decision to speak out a decade ago is said to have inspired Virginia Roberts to reveal allegations Andrew had sex with her three times when she was 17. A decade after she first spoke out, Joanna is ready to speak to the FBI after Andrew's disastrous BBC interview where he was accused of showing no sympathy for the victims Epstein groomed and abused, according to the Mirror. A source said: 'As a victim of Epstein, Sjoberg's testimony over how she was recruited and abused is vital to the FBI. 'Despite Epstein's suicide, they are Âdetermined all those who enabled his crimes will face justice. It is a promise they made to the victims. Andrew has had serious allegations made against him and agents are determined that a person's standing in life does not make them immune from being Âquestioned.'
Joanna is one of two women who have come forward to allege sexual contact with the royal. Ms Sjoberg says that the duke groped her breast while he sat her on his knee at the paedophile's New York home. Her accusation, with she first aired in 2007, are understood to have given Virginia Roberts the courage to come forwards with her claims. Virginian Roberts, now Mrs Giuffre, says that Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 years old. The FBI is believed to be looking at ways to interview Prince Andrew on British soil. Agents are keen to question the duke about his knowledge of Epstein as well as Ghislaine Maxwell, who is alleged to have recruited his victims. When Andrew stepped down from royal duties, he said he would be willing to help any law enforcement agency with their investigations. He has lost his £249,000 Sovereign Grant after his car crash interview on Newsnight, when he told Emily Maitlis he had not slept with Ms Giuffre, who is now 35. Ms Sjoberg was pictured as Andrew stepped down from 230 patronages. One royal source told the paper that the prince thinks he'll be able to clear his name by speaking to the FBI. Friends of Ms Sjoberg say that she is 'pleased' the duke is addressing the accusations facing him. She has refused to comment further on the allegations, telling the paper her lawyer is handling the matter. Her claim about the prince was originally made in US court papers. Ms Sjoberg levelled her allegations during a defamation case which Mrs Giuffre brought against 47-year-old Maxwell. Epstein flew Ms Sjoberg and Mrs Giuffre from Palm Beach to Manhattan to entertain the duke. Ms Sjoberg also told a Sunday newspaper that the prince had place his hand on her breast. Andrew continued to be friends with Epstein despite him being convicted of child sex offences in 2008. The friends were pictured together walking through Central Park in New York two years later. Prince Andrew told the BBC that he was only visiting to break off his friendship with Epstein. Mrs Giuffre has taken part in a BBC Panorama interview about her claims and the episode will air on December 2. The prince denies any wrongdoing. Epstein left his £444million fortune to his brother, Mark, and killed himself in prison in August while facing sex trafficking charges. Prince Andrew is to 'stand back' from his charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, it was revealed yesterday. Aides to the Duke of York said he would step aside temporarily, but sources suggested his older brother Prince Charles and nephew Prince William would oppose any future return to royal duties. Charles is expected to fly home to Britain today after a tour of New Zealand, raising the prospect of a showdown between the brothers over Andrew's disastrous decision to speak publicly about his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein. A new poll found six out of ten people believed it had damaged the reputation of the Royal Family and a slim majority believed he should be banned from public events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday. Plans for a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace to mark Prince Andrew's 60th birthday in February have been mothballed following public revulsion over the Newsnight interview. Representatives from his charities, business sponsors and military affiliations would have been invited to the party, but many have attempted to distance themselves from him since the programme was shown. During the BBC interview, Andrew denied claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl, Virginia Roberts, but admitted he had 'let the side down' when he visited Epstein's home in New York two years after the billionaire financier's conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The decision to go ahead with the interview was initially said to have been sanctioned by the Queen, but a royal source told the Sunday Times she had not given her approval and Andrew had not told her anything about what he planned to say. The Queen was said to be 'deeply frustrated' that the scandal had overshadowed the rest of the Royal Family's work although she remained 'privately supportive' of her second son, according to the source. She effectively sacked him from royal duties last week after her heir Prince Charles and second in line to the throne, Prince William, asked her to intervene. A source told the Sunday Times William had spoken to the Queen and Charles about Andrew's future and believed his removal from public life was 'the right thing to do'. They said: 'William is becoming more and more involved in decisions about the institution [the monarchy] and he's not a huge fan of his uncle Andrew.'
Andrew agreed to withdraw from public duty but initially wanted to remain a figurehead for some 200 charities and other affiliations. But he was forced to back down after many made it clear they no longer wanted his backing. At least 23 organisations have either dropped him or accepted his resignation, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Outward Bound Trust. Several sponsors have also dropped their backing for his Pitch@Palace business initiative and the project has been told to find offices outside of Buckingham Palace. There were calls for the duke's business dealings and private finances to be scrutinised by the public finance committee, Parliament's financial watchdog. A spokesman insisted he would continue to work on the venture, now rebranded as Pitch. She added: 'The duke will be stepping back from public duty and temporarily standing back from his patronages. The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace. 'We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place.'
How Duke of York's annual meetings with Epstein including after he was sent to jail caused Prince Andrew decades of trouble
Here is a timeline of the duke's relationship with Epstein.
- 1999
Andrew first meets Epstein, reportedly introduced through his friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. Andrew welcomes Epstein to the Queen's private Scottish retreat in Aberdeenshire. Andrew later says he sees Epstein 'infrequently', adding 'probably no more than only once or twice a year'.
- 2000
Andrew and Ms Maxwell are seen on holiday with Epstein at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Epstein and Ms Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen to mark Andrew's 40th birthday, the Princess Royal's 50th, the Queen Mother's 100th and Princess Margaret's 70th.
- 2001
Virginia Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse. Ms Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew on two more occasions, at Epstein's New York home and at an 'orgy' on his private island in the Caribbean.
- 2008
Epstein admits prostituting minors and is sentenced to 18 months in prison.
- 2010
Epstein is released from jail. Andrew is photographed with the disgraced Epstein in New York's Central Park. Footage emerges years later, reportedly shot on December 6 2010, showing him inside Epstein's Manhattan mansion, from where he is seen looking out from a large door of the property waving a woman goodbye after Epstein leaves to get into a chauffeur-driven car.
- 2011
The duke quits his role as UK trade envoy after the fallout from the Central Park photos.
- 2015
Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he is named in US court documents related to Epstein. A woman, later named in reports as Ms Roberts, alleges in papers filed in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andrew, in his first public engagement since he was embroiled in the allegations, responds, saying: 'Firstly I think I must, and want, for the record, to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks. 'I just wish to reiterate, and to reaffirm, the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace.'
In April the claims against Andrew are struck from US civil court records following a federal judge's ruling.
- 2019
Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claimed Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace said the allegations are 'categorically untrue'. Epstein is found dead in his jail cell on August 10, having killed himself after being charged with sex trafficking. Later that month a pilot on Epstein's private jet claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with the financier and Ms Roberts. The Sun newspaper reported that David Rodgers said in a testimony released in August that Epstein, Andrew and the-then 17-year-old travelled to the US Virgin Islands on April 11 2001. Buckingham Palace describes the evidence statement as having 'a number of inconsistencies' and said that Andrew was on a different continent in some cases. Following Epstein's death, a statement from the palace says that Andrew is 'appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes'.
Breaking his silence on the issue for the first time since 2015, Andrew then releases a statement on August 24 saying: 'At no stage during the limited time I spent with him (Epstein) did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.'
On November 16, the prince gave a 'disastrous' BBC interview in which he spoke about his friendship with Epstein and addressed allegations of his own sexual conduct. He faced a barrage of criticism following his television appearance, with the royal accused of a lack of empathy with Epstein's victims. During the interview, Andrew, questioned by Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, twice stated his relationship with Epstein, who died in jail while facing sex trafficking charges, had some "seriously beneficial outcomes", giving him the opportunity to meet people and prepare for a future role as a trade envoy. The duke denied he slept with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims, on three separate occasions, twice while she was underage, saying one encounter in 2001 did not happen as he spent the day with his daughter Princess Beatrice, taking her to Pizza Express in Woking for a party. The same alleged sexual liaison, which the American said began with the royal sweating heavily as they danced at London nightclub Tramp, was factually wrong as the duke said he had a medical condition at the time which meant he did not sweat. He cast doubt on the authenticity of a picture that appears to show Andrew with his arm around the waist of Mrs Giuffre, when a teenager.
Andrew still remains a figurehead for several military organisations, including as honorary Colonel for the Grenadier Guards. Sources said some regiments felt 'awkward' about him featuring on their Christmas cards, but his military affiliations are expected to remain in place for now – although the Palace has said he would not take part in any events. Royal biographer Penny Junor said she believed Andrew would be unable to return to royal duties after the scandal. 'He's absolutely finished,' she told the Sunday Times. 'If he is no longer representing or supporting the monarch in any capacity, or doing good charitably, what's the point of him?'
Jeffrey Epstein victim says he boasted about friendship with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson after raping her on his private island. A Jeffrey Epstein victim has claimed that he raped her before bragging about his relationship with Prince Andrew. Chauntae Davies, now 40, who worked as Epstein's masseuse and as an air hostess on his private plane, said the billionaire adorned his mansions with pictures of the eighth in line to the throne and his former wife Sarah Ferguson. She fell into the paedophile's path when she was a 21-year-old trainee massage therapist in Los Angeles and treated Ghislaine Maxwell at Beverly Hills' Four Seasons Hotel. Ms Davies alleged to The Sun on Sunday that she was raped by the billionaire on his private island. 'I was very aware of Jeffrey Epstein's friendship with Prince Andrew and Fergie right away', she said. 'It was one of several bragging tactics he used to further induce his power and privilege. He bragged a lot. He bragged about how he'd lent money to the Duchess.'
She also called on the Prince, who has been forced to retire from public duties after a car-crash BBC interview, to speak to the FBI. 'There is no way you could have been a friend of Jeffrey's and not know what was going on', she said. 'I don't see how you could see somebody with another young girl all the time and there never being a conversation about it. It doesn't add up.'
Ms Davies has previously stated that she was raped by the billionaire the third or fourth time they met on Caribbean island Little St. James. Andrew has previously admitted visiting the island and was named as a passenger on Epstein's jet, known as the Lolita Express for its orgies, in August 2001, for a trip from New York to New Mexico. Prince Andrew has always denied any allegations of wrongdoing during his friendship with Epstein. Ms Davies also described how she spent two weeks 'vomiting myself to death' in a hospital after the alleged attack. 'He took me by the wrist. I was searching for words but all I could say was please stop, but that only seemed to excite him more,' she told a New York courtroom the first time that she spoke publicly about the event. It took me a long time to come forward. Every public humiliation that I endured, I have suffered, and he has won.'
It came as a former Epstein employee, who has testified against him under the name 'Tiffany Doe', alleged the Prince had motor-boated her and that at the paedophile's parties girls were selected specifically to appease the Duke. 'The Duke seemed in good spirits and was out to enjoy himself', she told The Sunday Mirror. 'I always thought, Andrew liked my breasts. When he started to say hello he looked at them first rather than me. 'After Andrew motor-boated me he tried to remember what it was meant to be called. He didn't quite know the term 'motorboat'. He said, 'motor something?' 'He was trying to come off cool, but he didn't know the words. I found him quite awkward, quite clumsy. He said I should be in a magazine for big-breasted women. It was a normal thing to happen at those parties.'
She also alleged that the girls had to be specially selected for Andrew to be curvy, and that she saw the Prince at parties a 'couple of times a year'. 'I would flirt with him and he would hit on me and was handsy. He would stand in close proximity, looking at my breasts', she said.
