The first known image showing Prince Andrew with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and British politician Peter Mandelson has surfaced following the release of files by the United States Department of Justice.
According to media reports on Friday, the image is the first publicly known photograph showing the three men together. The photo was discovered among documents contained in the so-called Epstein files that have recently been released by US authorities.
A report by ITV News said the photograph is believed to have been taken in Martha's Vineyard, though an exact date and precise location were not specified in the documents. The outlet reported that the image is thought to date from between 1999 and 2000, several years before Epstein later served a prison sentence and was registered as a sex offender.
The photograph reportedly shows the three men seated around a table, with mugs decorated with the United States flag placed in front of them. The context of the meeting and the purpose of the gathering were not detailed in the released files.
Prince Andrew, whose full name is Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor, is the younger brother of King Charles III. His past association with Epstein has drawn significant public scrutiny in recent years.
According to the reports, both Prince Andrew and Mandelson have separately been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to their connections to Epstein. Authorities confirmed that both men were later released while investigations continue.
Prince Andrew previously served as the United Kingdom’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011. In that role, he travelled extensively promoting British business interests overseas.
However, he stepped back from official royal duties in 2019 after widespread criticism of his relationship with Epstein intensified following renewed media attention on the financier’s activities.
Documents included in the January release of files also suggest that communication between Prince Andrew and Epstein continued during the period when the royal held his role as trade envoy.
According to the files, on October 7, 2010, Prince Andrew allegedly sent Epstein details of upcoming official trips he planned to undertake as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy. The trips included visits to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong.
Further records indicate that on November 30 of the same year, the prince appeared to have forwarded official reports from those trips to Epstein shortly after receiving them from his then-special assistant.
Mandelson, a senior figure in the British Labour Party for decades, has also faced scrutiny over his past association with Epstein. Known for his strategic influence within the party, Mandelson earned the nickname “Prince of Darkness” for his reputation as a skilled political operator and strategist.
Over the course of his career, Mandelson served in several prominent roles, including Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. He was widely regarded as a key architect of the modernisation of the Labour Party during the era of former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Recent developments related to the Epstein investigation have reportedly contributed to Mandelson stepping down from his roles within the Labour Party and resigning from the House of Lords, effectively bringing his decades-long political career to a close.
The emergence of the photograph has renewed public attention on Epstein’s network of associates and contacts. Authorities in the United States have been gradually releasing documents connected to Epstein as part of ongoing legal and investigative processes.
Epstein, a financier who was convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution, died in 2019 while in custody in New York awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Investigations into individuals linked to him have continued in various jurisdictions, with documents and testimonies periodically surfacing that shed further light on his social and professional connections.
Officials have not yet provided additional details about the newly surfaced photograph or whether it will play a role in any ongoing investigations.
