PRINCE Andrew now accepts his billionaire friend Jeffrey Epstein was an “undercover” paedophile similar to Jimmy Savile, friends have said. The prince has long faced criticism for his association with one-time “best friend” Epstein, who in August was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges. Andrew has always […]
PRINCE Andrew now accepts his billionaire friend Jeffrey Epstein was an “undercover” paedophile similar to Jimmy Savile, friends have said.
The prince has long faced criticism for his association with one-time “best friend” Epstein, who in August was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing during his friendship with the disgraced financier, which began after the two met in 1999.
He also claims never to have “seen, witnessed, or suspected” the behaviour that led to Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting an underage girl for prostitution, for which he served 13 months in custody.
In 2010, four months after Epstein’s release, the two were pictured walking together in New York’s Central Park, a meeting Andrew has said was part of an attempt to break off contact with Epstein.
Andrew declined to criticise Epstein publicly before his death, but now accepts his friend was an “undercover” paedophile similar to Jimmy Savile, the Sunday Times reports.
Jimmy Savile was a DJ and television personality who in a decades-long career hosted BBC shows including Top of the Pops and Jim’ll Fix It.
After Savile’s death in 2011, hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse emerged, leading police to conclude he had been a serial predatory sex offender.
A senior source close to Andrew said he believes Epstein was “very good at keeping his cover” in the same way as Savile, many of whose victims said his power and influence had made them reluctant to come forward while he was alive.
“Every example of anyone behaving like Epstein, who has later been discovered, has actually been very good at keeping their cover,” said the source.
“If you have someone like the duke, you probably don’t show that side of yourself to him.
“That’s the sadness of being someone like the duke, you sometimes don’t see the real person because you are a bit of a trophy friend.”
The source also defended Andrew over the 2010 visit, during which he was pictured waving to a young woman from inside Epstein’s $56 million (£45 million) New York mansion.
“The duke has been hammered for one mistake, which took place in 2010,” said the source.
“He has apologised again and again for the error of judgment.
“But what he did wasn’t criminal. It was a mistake.
“He went to see a friend to tell them he couldn’t be their friend any more.”
The visit reportedly included a dinner in honour of Andrew with guests including director Woody Allen and talk show host Charlie Rose, both of whom have also faced allegations of sexual misconduct.
A statement released by Prince Andrew after Epstein’s death read: “It is apparent to me since the suicide of Mr Epstein that there has been an immense amount of media speculation about so much in his life.
“This is particularly the case in relation to my former association or friendship with Mr Epstein.
“Therefore I am eager to clarify the facts to avoid further speculation.
“During the time I knew him, I saw him infrequently and probably no more than only once or twice a year.
“I have stayed in a number of his residences.
“At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.
“I have said previously that it was a mistake and an error to see him after his release in 2010 and I can only reiterate my regret that I was mistaken to think that what I thought I knew of him was evidently not the real person, given what we now know.
“I have tremendous sympathy for all those affected by his actions and behaviour.”
At least five women who say they were abused by Epstein have filed lawsuits against his £458million estate since his death.
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