Advertisement

Prince Andrew may have dated Ghislaine Maxwell, say friends

The Duke of York and Ghislaine Maxwell are said to have had an 'easy warmth around each other' - The Mega Agency/Steve Parsons/AFP via Getty Images
The Duke of York and Ghislaine Maxwell are said to have had an 'easy warmth around each other' - The Mega Agency/Steve Parsons/AFP via Getty Images

Ghislaine Maxwell and the Duke of York may have dated, friends have said, as the pair had an “easy warmth” around each other.

Euan Rellie, a banker who befriended Maxwell during their university years, socialised with the heiress, her disgraced ex-boyfriend Jeffery Epstein, and the Duke.

Mr Rellie, who went to Eton before going on to study at Cambridge University, recalled being invited to a dinner party in Epstein’s New York townhouse by Maxwell, which she said was “for my friend Prince Andrew”.

“She described Andrew as being her friend, not Jeffery’s,” Mr Rellie told a new ITV documentary.

“I got the sense that Prince Andrew and Ghislaine had probably been girlfriend and boyfriend in the past. They had an easy warmth around each other.”

The revelation is made in a new documentary, Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile, due to air on ITV at 9pm on Tuesday.

It follows Maxwell’s recent trial in which she was found guilty of charges including sex trafficking underaged girls for Epstein to abuse. She is awaiting sentencing and faces up to 65 years in prison.

Following the verdict, Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the jury found Maxwell “guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable – facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children”.

Ghislaine Maxwell as her guilty verdict was announced - Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
Ghislaine Maxwell as her guilty verdict was announced - Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

The documentary pays close attention to Maxwell’s relationship with the Duke, who last week was stripped of his royal patronages in the wake of a civil suit being pursued by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 38, who has accused him sexual abuse when she was 17.

She claims the abuse took place at convicted sex offender Epstein’s New York home, on his private Caribbean island and at the London home of Maxwell.

The Duke denies the allegations and has said he has “no recollection of ever meeting her”.

In the documentary, Ranvir Singh, the presenter, speaks to Paul Page, former Royal protection officer, who also speculated about the Duke’s relationship with Maxwell.

Mr Page, who was convicted of a fraud scam in 2009, said: “I first met Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001. From the way she was allowed to enter and exit the palace at will, we realised and suspected that she may have had an intimate relationship with Prince Andrew.

“A colleague of mine remembered her coming in four times in one day. She kept coming in and out, in and out.”

Page, who worked in the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command between 1998 and 2004, also recalled the Duke’s “50 or 60 stuffed toys” collection positioned on his bed.

“There was a card the inspector showed us in a drawer and it was a picture of these bears all in situ on the bed,” Page told the programme.

“The reason for the laminated picture was that if those bears weren’t put back in the right order by the maids, he would shout and scream and become very abusive.”

It comes as Robert Olney, the Duke of York’s former equerry, has been called to give evidence in the US civil trial in which Ms Giuffre has accused the Duke of sexual assault. Attorneys have "reason to believe" Mr Olney has "relevant information".

Robert Olney, the Duke of York’s former equerry, has been called to give evidence in the US civil trial - Fiona Hanson
Robert Olney, the Duke of York’s former equerry, has been called to give evidence in the US civil trial - Fiona Hanson

ITV said Tuesday's documentary “unravels the story of how an entitled daughter of a billionaire sank into shame and disgrace through her friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein”.

It added: “Maxwell's trial shone a spotlight on the lifestyle of her, Epstein and their circle, including private jets, New York mansions and luxury exotic islands.

“Ranvir explores Maxwell and Epstein's extensive network of rich, powerful and famous friends, speaking with some of those in their ‘little black book' of contacts and examining evidence from the trial including flight logs from Epstein's private planes listing famous passengers.”

The Duke declined to comment.