Epstein files latest: Prince Edward responds - as Andrew 'pet' email revealed

Former Democratic Senator George Mitchell has had his bust removed from Queen's University Belfast after being named in the Epstein files.

The university says it has also taken the decision to remove the name of its former chancellor from the institute for global peace, security and justice.

Here's the statement in full:

Queen's University Belfast has taken the decision to remove the name of its former Chancellor, Senator George J. Mitchell, from the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, and to remove the bust commemorating him from the University campus.

"This decision follows the emergence of new information contained in the Epstein files released on Friday, which include references to Senator Mitchell. While no findings of wrongdoing by Senator Mitchell have been made, the University has concluded that, in light of this material, and mindful of the experiences of victims and survivors, it is no longer appropriate for its institutional spaces and entities to continue to bear his name.

"As a civic institution with a global reputation for leadership in peace, reconciliation, and justice, Queen’s University Belfast must ensure that its honours and symbols reflect the highest standards consistent with its values and responsibilities."

In response to appearing in the files, Mitchell - who denies any wrongdoing - said: "In my contacts with Mr Epstein I never observed or suspected any inappropriate conduct with underage girls."

As a reminder, being named in the files does not indicate any wrongdoing.

By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent

What has Vladimir Putin got to do with Jeffrey Epstein?

The Russian president's name appears more than 1,000 times in the latest files.

His inclusion doesn't imply any wrongdoing, and there's no evidence the two ever met, but boy, it sounds like Epstein wanted to.

The emails appear to reveal repeated attempts by the convicted sex offender to court the Kremlin leader.

And there's even an audio file, in which Epstein can be heard coaching someone on how to approach Putin.

Listen here...

"I would send a note to Putin, saying 'I'm going to leave government on March 14th. I'm going to be in Scandinavia, or I plan to be in western, northern Europe. We should have dinner'. That's it, no more. It has to be very short," he says in the recording.

The first substantive mention of Vladimir Putin in the latest files, unearthed by Sky's Data and Forensics team, is from September 2011.

An unnamed contact refers to a meeting Epstein said he'd arranged with Putin later that month, while Putin was Russia's prime minister. There's no evidence it took place and there are no other details. 

From 2013 onwards, by which time Putin had returned to the presidency, the emails show Epstein made several bids to meet him through the former Norwegian PM Thorbjorn Jagland.

From Epstein with love

In May that year, Epstein emailed Jagland, who was then serving as secretary-general of the Council of Europe, saying: "I know you are going to meet putin [sic] on the 20th, He is desperate to engage western investment in his country...I have his solution."

He adds: "I recoginize [sic] that there are human rights issues that are at the forefront of your trip howver [sic], if it is helpful to you, I would be happy to meet with him sometime in june [sic] and explain the solution to his top prioirty [sic], I think this would be good for your goals."

But it appears it never happened. After pestering Jagland to follow up within Putin's team, Epstein complains that he's heard nothing back.

In January 2014, Jagland told Epstein he was going to meet Putin in Sochi. "Why don't you come?" he asks. We don't know what happened next.

But in July that year, Epstein still sounds desperate to meet the Russian president. In an email, a contact tells him: "I wasn't able to convince Reid to change his schedule to go meet Putin with you."

"Bad idea now after plane crash," Epstein replies - a reference to Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which was shot down over eastern Ukraine three days prior, killing all 298 people on board.

But it seems it didn't put Epstein off for long.

A year later, in July 2015, he tells Jagland: "I still would like to meet putin [sic] and talk economy, i would really appreciate your assistance."

There are more attempts in 2016, 2017 and finally in June 2018 - just one line in an email to Jagland once again: "Would love to meet with putin [sic]."

It's certainly no smoking gun - it appears to be more a case of unrequited love.

Silence in Moscow

When asked about files, the Kremlin said today that it did not receive any offers from Epstein about a meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Still, it's interesting to see how the Russian media is covering this story because, well, they're not.

There's very little mention of it at all, and where there is, the focus is elsewhere - on Bill Clinton, Peter Mandelson and the crown princess of Norway.

So even though there's no evidence or implication that he ever actually met with Epstein, Vladimir Putin's appearance in the files is still not something Moscow wants to highlight.

Downing Street has responded following Peter Mandelson's decision to quit the House of Lords.

Lord Mandelson's decision was announced in the upper chamber in the last hour.

Responding to this, a Downing Street spokesperson said: 

"It is right that Peter Mandelson will no longer be a member of the House of Lords. As the prime minister said this morning, Peter Mandelson let his country down."

Mandelson has faced intense pressure and scrutiny for his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He was appointed the UK's ambassador to the US, late in 2024 - taking up the role in February last year.

But Sir Keir Starmer then sacked him seven months later, as newly released documents showed his relationship with the disgraced financier was "materially different" to what he had told the government, the PM previously said.

Prince Edward became the first royal to respond to the latest release of the Epstein files today when he emphasised the plight of the sex offender's victims.

His family has been dragged into the scandal by his older brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but have mostly stayed tight-lipped on the matter.

King Charles III 

Unlike his youngest brother, the King has not spoken publicly about the scandal, but last year he removed Andrew's title of prince last year.

The Palace said at the time:

"These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.

"Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.

Prince William

The Prince of Wales has not directly spoken out about the scandal, but it's understood the decision to remove Andrew's title had the support of the wider family, including William.

Who have we not heard from?

Basically, everyone else. This notably includes Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. 

We learned earlier today that they had flown to Miami to visit Epstein in 2009 with their mother, Sarah Ferguson, less than a week after his release from prison.

A new image of Woody Allen appears in the latest Epstein file release.

It shows the American director in Jeffrey Epstein's New York home alongside three women and what appears to be another man.

They were released by the US justice department without context or details of where and when they were taken.

Remember: featuring in the Epstein files is not an indication of any wrongdoing.

Allen said he met Epstein at a dinner in 2010, months after Epstein's release from prison in July 2009.

In an interview with the Sunday Times last September, Allen was asked if he regretted socialising with Epstein. 

He said: "Well, I'm a writer, so I don't get put off… Those dinners were fascinating, and when it was all uncovered, it becomes interesting to a writer…"

He added Epstein told him that he'd been "falsely put in jail in some way" and "was trying to make up for it now by being philanthropic".

In the latest episode of the Trump100 podcast, our US correspondents James Matthews and David Blevins discuss how the release of the Epstein files is being perceived in the US.

Matthews says he's "struck" by how low the story is running in the media in the country despite many people expecting the release to "hurt" the US president.

Peter Mandelson is set to step down as a member of the House of Lords after the latest revelations about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Watch the moment the Lords speaker broke the news in the chamber...

The New Labour grandee was awarded a life peerage in 2008, but had been on a leave of absence from 31 January last year following his appointment as UK ambassador to Washington - a post from which he was sacked in September after more details about his links to Epstein emerged.

The announcement comes after Downing Street piled pressure on the disgraced former ambassador to Washington to resign and stop using his title.

By Rhiannon Mills, royal correspondent

Prince Edward had no choice. He had to offer up some kind of answer when asked about the Epstein scandal.

It shows the dilemma facing the royal family at the moment and how much Andrew continues to be an uncomfortable distraction to all of their work. 

As they carry out engagements, a trip to the UAE for Edward in this case, all the world really wants to know is how they feel about the latest revelations revealed in the Epstein files and what it means for Andrew.

Edward's response, when asked how the family were coping, was in many ways sticking to the official line, again bringing it back to remembering the victims. 

A message we first heard loud and clear in October when the Palace released a statement saying the King and Queen's "thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse".

It was also in that statement that we were reminded why the King felt he had to take the ultimate action against his brother, stripping him of his titles and his home, because his links to Epstein were taking people's attention away from all of their work. 

But this latest drop of files has again shown how out of their control this scandal continues to be, this time Edward, Andrew's younger brother, left to face the questions.

Watch Prince Edward's response...

The Cabinet Office has referred how Lord Mandelson handled sensitive government information while he was a minister to the police (see 13.18 post).

The Metropolitan Police is investigating allegations of misconduct in public office after emails showed conversations between Mandelson and Epstein while the former was business secretary in Gordon Brown's government in 2009.

On today's episode of Cheat Sheet With Ridge and Frost podcast, lead presenter Wilfred Frost explains the laws around insider trading and how Lord Mandelson could have fallen foul of them in his communication with Jeffrey Epstein.

Government officials are drafting legislation to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage, the prime minister's spokesperson has said.

The government is prepared to legislate to kick Mandelson out of the House of Lords if needed, they added.

Sir Keir Starmer told a cabinet meeting this morning he was "appalled" by the revelations revealed in the Epstein files and that Mandelson had "let the country down".

"Moving quickly in this matter is vital," Starmer told his ministers.

The prime minister is under pressure over his decision to appoint Mandelson as the UK ambassador to the US, with questions being asked about what was known at the time.