Epstein Victim Tells Congress She Saw No Misconduct by Prince Andrew During Royal Residence Visits

Sarah Kellen, a former assistant to Jeffrey Epstein who says she was sexually and psychologically abused by him for over a decade, testified last month before a closed-door session of the House Oversight Committee that she had dinner in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's private apartments at Buckingham Palace and attended Princess Beatrice's 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle in 2006.

Kellen said she witnessed no inappropriate behaviour from Mountbatten-Windsor during those visits. She also told the committee she was sexually abused by three associates of Epstein and by Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.

Kellen described Maxwell's influence on Epstein, stating: "I feel like she kind of taught and shaped Jeffrey into who he became, showed him how to use his money. Like, he didn't have private planes before her, he didn't have the townhouse before her. " The testimony marks the first time a woman sexually abused and trafficked by Epstein has publicly spoken of attending royal residences.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew who was stripped of his royal title, has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Kellen said she worked for Epstein and received compensation from his estate as a named victim. She stated she was unaware she had been named a possible co-conspirator in Epstein's 2008 plea deal until it became public and that no one from law enforcement ever spoke with her.

In 2008, Epstein was serving a prison sentence for soliciting sex from a minor and was permitted to attend work during the day while spending nights in his cell. Kellen told the committee she had potentially organised meetings at Epstein's office in Palm Beach, Florida, while he was on work release, and at the house in Palm Beach, for Sarah Ferguson.

Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The House Oversight Committee is conducting a congressional investigation into Epstein. Buckingham Palace directed the BBC to an on-the-record statement from last October that included a statement from the King and Queen expressing thoughts and utmost sympathies with victims and survivors of abuse.

A BBC News investigation this year revealed claims of an encounter at Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2010 before an invitation to Buckingham Palace for tea.

Thames Valley Police have been in contact with the lawyers of the woman who made the allegation and are assessing whether to investigate.