18 key details we learned from the new Epstein files release

More than three million files were published by the US justice department on Friday, many of which indicate that high-profile figures continued their association with Epstein after he was convicted of the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old child in Florida in 2008.

This includes Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson. The revelations have dominated UK politics as they emerged over the weekend and on Monday.

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Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on fresh child sexual abuse charges. His death was ruled a suicide. Ghislaine Maxwell, his accomplice, is currently serving a 20-year sentence in the US for child sex trafficking.

Here are the key things that emerged from the latest Epstein release.

Andrew

Andrew's relationship with Epstein led to him losing his royal titles, but the allegations continue to emerge. Here's what we learned about the disgraced royal.

• Images of a barefoot, smiling Andrew crouching on all fours over a woman lying on her back on the floor, whose face has been covered to hide her identity, led many of the front pages of UK newspapers over the weekend. The images are not dated or captioned and have no further details attached.
• Andrew appears to have exchanged emails with Epstein, shortly after the disgraced financier’s house arrest ended in 2010, about a “beautiful” Russian woman. In response, “The Duke”, believed to be Andrew, says he would be “delighted to see her” and asked him to pass on his contact details, signing off the email “A”.
• In emails from September 2010, “The Duke” invited Epstein for dinner at Buckingham Palace for “lots of privacy”. Two days later, he followed up the email by writing: “Delighted for you to come here to BP [Buckingham Palace]. Come with whomever and I’ll be here free from 1600ish.”

One of the images of Andrew released in the Epstein files (Image: US department of justice/PA)

• It is unclear if the meeting took place, but three months later, Epstein and Andrew were photographed together in New York’s Central Park.
• On Saturday, it emerged that a second woman had alleged she was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew. Her lawyer told the BBC the encounter allegedly took place at the Royal Lodge, Andrew’s former residence, in 2010. The former prince has so far not responded to the allegations. The woman also claims to have been given a tour of Buckingham Palace.
• Emails between Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, and Epstein showed that she kept in touch with the financier following his conviction. “Just marry me,” she wrote in one email. In another she described the sex offender as the “brother I have always wished for”.
• The files also suggest that Epstein wanted Ferguson to help clear his name. In an exchange between Epstein and three others, including his publicist, in March 2011, the disgraced financier: “I think Fergie can now say, I am not a pedo.”

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Peter Mandelson

The former UK ambassador to the US is also dominating headlines. He was sacked from the key diplomatic role in September last year when it emerged he had sent supportive messages to the convicted paedophile following his conviction. Mandelson has now been reported to the police over allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein when he was a government minister. Here's what we know so far.

• Epstein sent £10,000 to Mandelson’s husband, reportedly to fund an osteopathy course.
• Bank statements appear to show the peer, who resigned his Labour Party membership on Monday morning, received $75,000 from Epstein between 2003 and 2004, when he was an MP for Hartlepool. Mandelson said he did not recall receiving the payments.
• An image was also released showing Mandelson standing in his underwear and T-shirt, beside a woman, whose identity has been redacted.

An image of Peter Mandelson was included in the Epstein files (Image: US department of justice/PA)

• An email exchange from 2009 – when Mandelson was business secretary – appeared to tell Epstein he would lobby ministers over a tax on bankers’ bonuses.
• Epstein was also sent internal discussions from the heart of the UK Government and Number 10 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
• Mandelson appears to have given convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein advance notice of a bailout to save the Euro in 2010.
• He also corresponded with Epstein about persuading Gordon Brown to stand down as prime minister.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he does not support Mandelson remaining in the House of Lords, but claimed he doesn’t have the power to remove him. The SNP previously laid legislation that would strip Mandelson of his peerage in the Commons.

So far, Number 10 has not responded to the SNP reporting Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police.

What other things did we learn from the Epstein files?

• Scotland's independence referendum: In 2014, Epstein discussed how to make money from the vote days before Scots went to the ballot box.
• Tommy Robinson makes an appearance: While not in the files himself, the far-right agitator was the topic of discussion between Epstein and Steve Bannon in 2019. The pair discussed Robinson’s case, where he was later found guilty of contempt of court for “aggressively confronting and filming” defendants in a criminal trial and broadcasting them on social media. Bannon called Robison the “Backbone of England”.
• Elon Musk: The X, formerly Twitter, owner asked about parties on Epstein’s island in November 2012 – again after Epstein’s conviction. “What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” the Tesla billionaire appeared to ask in emails. It is unclear if he made the trip. In response, Musk said on X: “No one pushed harder than me to have the Epstein files released and I’m glad that has finally happened. I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitation to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express’ but was well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name. I don’t care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls.”

• Donald Trump: The FBI received numerous allegations about Trump, who is mentioned hundreds of times in the files, but they are unsubstantiated claims. There are accusations of sexual abuse contained in the files sent to the FBI, relating to Trump, Epstein, and other public figures. The US department of justice said the documents contain “untrue and sensationalist claims” about the US President. Trump has said the documents “absolve him".

This is a developing story.