A Complete Timeline of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein's Friendship

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The history of Prince Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein serves as key context for Netflix's new film, Scoop. The movie, which is based on Sam McAlister's 2022 book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews, details Andrew's 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, during which the Duke of York discussed his relationship with Epstein.

"I suppose I saw him once or twice a year, perhaps maybe maximum of three times a year and quite often if I was in the United States and doing things and if he wasn't there, he would say 'well, why don't you come and use my houses? so I said 'that's very kind, thank you very much indeed,'" Prince Andrew told interviewer Emily Maitlis. "But it would be a considerable stretch to say that he was a very, very close friend. But he had the most extraordinary ability to bring extraordinary people together."

When did Andrew and Epstein actually meet? When did Andrew supposedly cut off contact? Here's a full, complete timeline of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein's friendship.

1999: Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein supposedly meet for the first time, introduced by Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew says he met Epstein for the first time in 1999, when the royal was introduced to him by their mutual associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. As he would later say in the BBC Newsnight interview, "Well I met through his girlfriend back in 1999 who… and I'd known her since she was at university in the UK and it would be, to some extent, a stretch to say that as it were we were close friends. I mean we were friends because of other people and I had a lot of opportunity to go to the United States but I didn't have much time with him." This contradicts what Andrew's then-private secretary Alastair Watson noted in 2011. Watson said Andrew had known Epstein "since being introduced to him in the early 1990s."

Andrew met Maxwell when she was an undergraduate at Oxford; she graduated in 1985. Flight logs, obtained years later by the Daily Mirror, show that Andrew visited Epstein's private Caribbean island in February 1999.

In summer 1999, Epstein and Maxwell vacationed at Balmoral (see above image); the photo was revealed in 2021 during Maxwell's trial in New York City. Per the BBC, "The photo was found in Epstein's Manhattan mansion, and appears to have been taken at Balmoral. The Queen and her family have been pictured sitting by what looks to be the same log cabin over the years."

2000: Epstein attends numerous royal events with Andrew.

February 2000: At the start of the year, Epstein is with Andrew at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. They are photographed together; also in the photo is Melania Trump and Gwendolyn Beck (see above).

April 2000: Maxwell and Andrew go to lunch in New York City. The duo are spotted holding hands at Nello's, but not photographed together. Andrew is snapped leaving the restaurant:

June 2000: Epstein and Maxwell go to a 40th birthday party for Andrew, hosted at Windsor Castle by Queen Elizabeth. Maitlis asked about this specific event in the Newsnight interview, saying, "He was your guest, as well, in 2000, Epstein was a guest at Windsor Castle and at Sandringham, he was brought right into the heart of the Royal Family at your invitation," Andrew responded, "But certainly at my invitation, not at the Royal Family's invitation but remember that it was his girlfriend that was the key element in this. He was the, as it were, plus one, to some extent in that aspect."

The same month, Andrew attends the Royal Ascot with Epstein and Maxwell:

December 2000: Prince Andrew throws a shooting weekend for Maxwell's birthday, and Epstein is in attendance. (Andrew denied it was a birthday party in the Newsnight interview, saying it was "just a straightforward, a straightforward shooting weekend.")

2001: Andrew allegedly sexually assaults Virginia Giuffre in London.

Prince Andrew has denied the accusations numerous times. When Maitlis asked him about a photo, first published in 2011, which appears to show Andrew with his arm around Giuffre's waist, he said, "That's me but whether that's my hand or whether that's the position I… but I don't… I have simply no recollection of the photograph ever being taken." He also said it couldn't have been him, because he says he was at a Pizza Express in Woking that evening.

In 2021, Giuffre filed suit against Andrew in New York, stating, "I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but one can reclaim her life by speaking out and demanding justice." The suit was settled in February 2022 for an undisclosed sum.

2006: Epstein attends Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle.

Epstein was one of the guests at Princess Beatrice's Victorian-themed birthday party at Windsor Castle on July 15, 2006; in 2019, the Sun published a photo of Epstein, with Harvey Weinstein and Maxwell, at the party. Eight days after Beatrice's party, on July 23, Epstein was arrested in Palm Beach, on a single charge of soliciting prostitution.

In the Newsnight interview, Maitlis specifically asked about why Prince Andrew invited Epstein to his daughter's birthday, just two months after an arrest warrant was issued for Epstein for sexual assault of a minor. Andrew replied, "Because I was asking Ghislaine. But even so, at the time I don't think I… certainly I wasn't aware when the invitation was issued what was going on in the United States and I wasn't aware until the media picked up on it because he never said anything about it."

2008: Epstein is sentenced to jail.

As the Associated Press explained, Epstein "reached a non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida over allegations of sex with underage girls. He was allowed to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution and served 13 months in jail. The deal also required that he reach financial settlements with dozens of his alleged victims."

He served most of his sentence in a work-release program that allowed him to leave jail during the day, and return at night. After he was released from jail in July 2009, having served 13 months of his 18 month sentence, he was put under house arrest for a year of probation.

In his Newsnight interview, Andrew said, "I ceased contact with him after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasn't in touch with him again until 2010. So just it was one of those things that somebody's going through that sort of thing well I'm terribly sorry I can't be… see you."

2010: Prince Andrew and Epstein go on a walk together in Central Park.

After Epstein's house arrest sentence ended in August 2010, Andrew visited him in New York City that December, and stayed with him at his New York City townhouse. "He was released...[and] within months, by December of 2010, you went to stay with him at his New York mansion. Why?" Miatlis asked Andrew. He replied, "I went there with the sole purpose of saying to him that because he had been convicted, it was inappropriate for us to be seen together. And I had a number of people counsel me in both directions, either to go and see him or not to go and see him and I took the judgement call that because this was serious and I felt that doing it over the telephone was the chicken's way of doing it. I had to go and see him and talk to him."

Andrew added, "At the time I felt it was the honorable and right thing to do and I admit fully that my judgement was probably colored by my tendency to be too honorable but that's just the way it is." "You were staying at the house of a convicted sex offender," Maitlis stated. Andrew replied, "It was a convenient place to stay."

During that same December 2010 visit, Epstein reportedly—according to Katie Couric's memoir—threw a party to celebrate his release, and Andrew was invited as a guest of honor. Andrew denied this, saying on Newsnight, "There certainly wasn't a party to celebrate his release in December because it was a small dinner party, there were only eight or 10 of us I think at the dinner." Maitlis commented, "It might seem a funny way to break off a friendship, a four-day house party of sorts with a dinner. It's an odd way to break up a friendship."

Epstein and Andrew are photographed on a walk in Central Park during the trip. As photographer Jae Donnelly later said, "Without that photo they would have the chance to deny any knowledge of knowing each other. And that photo, for them, sadly exists." The photos ran in News of the World in February 2011.

Andrew said he had no contact with Epstein following December 2010.

2011: Sarah Ferguson admits Epstein helped pay off her debt.

In March 2011, Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, admitted that Epstein paid £15,000 to her former personal assistant, Johnny O'Sullivan. (O'Sullivan claimed £78,000 in unpaid wages and other bills.) Per the Evening Standard, "Epstein had personally offered to help the duchess as he knew that Mr O'Sullivan was insisting his money was paid in full, which meant the rest of the debt could not be restructured. Epstein did not speak directly to the duchess about the payment but through the duke's office and then directly with Mr O'Sullivan."

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Ferguson said, "I personally, on behalf of myself, deeply regret that Jeffrey Epstein became involved in any way with me. I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite I cannot say. Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again."

Ferguson added, "This is the first time ever in my life, and I mean 'ever', that I have been debt free. It allows me to go forward to do what I do, being a good mother, a philanthropist for children and also an author of children's books. I cannot state more strongly that I know a terrible, terrible error of judgment was made, my having anything do with Jeffrey Epstein. What he did was wrong and for which he was rightly jailed."

She continued, "I had no idea of the string of other allegations and court cases against him and I am distraught that I should have allowed myself to get out of debt with any help from him when my judgment was clouded. Once again my errors have compounded and rebounded and also inadvertently impacted on the man I admire most in the world, the Duke." Ferguson went on to defend her ex-husband, referring to him a "first-rate father and first-rate man."

2015: Andrew is named in Epstein court case.

In a U.S. civil case filed against Epstein, Prince Andrew "was not party to the proceedings but was identified when a motion was filed in the court, as part of the evidence," per the BBC.

The Palace issued two statements in response. In the first, a spokesperson said, "This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which the Duke of York is not a party. As such we would not comment on the detail. However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors is categorically untrue."

The second, two days later, said claims about Andrew were made "without any foundation." The Palace added, "It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts."

Prince Andrew commented, too: "I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace. My focus is on my work."

2019: Epstein's arrest, death, and Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview.

The second half of 2019 was a monumental year, bringing Epstein and Andrew's friendship into the headlines. A breakdown of the major events:

July 6, 2019: New York police arrest Epstein on new sex-trafficking charges.

Per a press release issued the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, "The indictment unsealed today alleges that, between 2002 through 2005, EPSTEIN sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for money. Epstein allegedly worked with several employees and associates to ensure that he had a steady supply of minor victims to abuse, and paid several of those victims themselves to recruit other underage girls to engage in similar sex acts for money. He committed these offenses in locations including New York, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida."

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a statement at the time, "As alleged, Jeffrey Epstein abused underage girls for years, operating a scheme in which girls he victimized would recruit others for Epstein to exploit and abuse. Epstein exploited girls who were vulnerable to abuse, enticed them with cash payments, and escalated his conduct to include sex acts, often occurring at his residence on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. While the charged conduct is from a number of years ago, the victims – then children and now young women – are no less entitled to their day in court. My Office is proud to stand up for these victims by bringing this indictment."

August 10, 2019: Metropolitan Correctional Center guards find Epstein dead in his cell; investigators conclude days later that he died by suicide.

November 11, 2019: The Newsnight team—Emily Maitlis, producer Sam McAlister, Stewart Maclean, the program's Deputy Editor, meet with Prince Andrew, his private secretary Amanda Thirsk, and his daughter, Princess Beatrice, at Buckingham Palace. (More on that meeting and how they convinced Andrew, here.) They find out a day later the interview is on.

November 14, 2019: The Newsnight interview is filmed at Buckingham Palace.

November 16, 2019: The interview airs on BBC Two. The full interview is still available to watch on YouTube:

November 20, 2019: Prince Andrew announces he would be stepping back from public duties.

"It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support," he said in a statement. "Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission."

He added, "I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required."

2022: Queen Elizabeth strips Andrew of his military affiliations and royal patronages

In August 2021, Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Andrew in the U.S. In January 2022, a judge denied Andrew's lawyers' motion to dismiss the case. Shortly after, Andrew's military affiliations and royal patronages were removed. "With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."

Andrew and Giuffre settled out of court in February 2022; the amount of the settlement was not publicly disclosed. "It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years," a statement read. "Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims."

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