A Swedish princess is insisting she never visited Jeffrey Epstein’s “Pedophile Island” after newly-released emails show she was once invited.
Epstein reportedly offered Sofia Hellqvist, then a lingerie model, a free visit to his private Caribbean island in 2005 after a mutual associate emailed the sex offender a photo of Hellqvist and two other women on his 55th birthday.
Now known as “Princess Sofia,” the Swedish Royal Court dismissed any notion that the former model had a substantive relationship with Epstein.
“No one can be expected to remember every person they have encountered throughout their life,” the family said. “However, Princess Sofia recalls meeting Epstein on a few occasions about 20 years ago. We wish to clarify that these meetings took place in social settings, such as at a restaurant and a movie premiere.”
Sofia, 41, was introduced to Epstein by the Swedish businesswoman Barbro Ehnbom when she was 21.
“This is Sofia, an aspiring actress who just arrived in New York.” Ehnbom wrote, attaching a photo of the princess smiling with her and two others. “She’s the girl I told you about before I left, who I thought you might like to meet. Maybe we can visit before you go on holiday?”
Epstein wrote back that he was “in the Caribbean” and offered to send Hellqvist a ticket to visit him.
“Does she want to come for a couple of days?” Epstein reportedly responded. “I’ll send a ticket.”
The palace says Sofia did not take up Epstein’s offer. It also denied rumors that Epstein paid for acting classes for the future princess.
“Reports that the Princess received help from Epstein with acting lessons or with a visa to the United States are incorrect,” a statement said. “The Princess has never been dependent on him in any way, nor has she had any contact with him for the past 20 years.”
Sofia has been married to Prince Carl Philip, 46, since 2015. The couple shares four children together, with their latest being born in February.
They were introduced to each other at a Swedish nightclub in 2009. Many in Sweden were critical of their relationship because of her past as a model, which included her posing topless with a boa constrictor for the Swedish magazine Slitz.
