Ghislaine Maxwell Gushes Over Her ‘Dear Friend’ Prince Andrew
Just when the duke tried to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, he’s been pulled back in.
Max Mumby/Indigo
Convicted sex-trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell undermined Prince Andrew’s assertions that he was never really that close to the convicted sex-trafficker, insisting in a bombshell jailhouse interview that he was actually a “dear friend.”
Speaking to Britain’s Mail on Sunday, the imprisoned socialite who helped Jeffrey Epstein procure girls said she has pity for Andrew: “I feel so bad for him.”
Andrew’s lawyers had argued in a legal filing back in January that a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre should be dismissed because her claim that Maxwell and Prince Andrew were close friends was wrong. Giuffre had alleged that Maxwell helped Jeffrey Epstein groom her as part of their sex trafficking ring.
The prince always denied Giuffre's allegation of sexual assault, but he was stripped of his military titles in the ensuing fallout. He later settled out of court with Giuffre.
Told that Andrew had apparently sought to distance himself from her, Maxwell seemed to suggest that his claim had been a strategic, scandal-dodging maneuver.
“Yes, I follow what is happening to him. He is paying such a price for the association [with Jeffrey Epstein]. I consider him a dear friend… I care about him,” she said.
But she went on to say: “I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
She also declined to confirm or deny reports that she and Prince Andrew had been an item.
“I have read and seen and heard and had reported to me so many monstrous inaccuracies that I can’t start to pick apart all of them. If I pick apart one and then don’t address all the others, it’s going to say, ‘Well, she said no to this, what about all those others?’ I’m not going to discuss anything of that nature until after the appeal.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.