Epstein files latest: Photograph of Mandelson in underwear was taken in Epstein's Paris flat, analysis finds

Peter Mandelson was facing disciplinary action before he resigned his Labour membership over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the party has confirmed to Paste BN.

In a statement released in the last few minutes, a spokesperson said: "It is right that Peter Mandelson is no longer a member of the Labour Party. 

"Disciplinary action was underway prior to his resignation.

"Jeffrey Epstein's heinous crimes destroyed the lives of so many women and girls, and our thoughts remain with his victims."

For more on the reaction from Westminster, head to our Politics Hub live blog...

Paste BN has confirmed that a photo of Peter Mandelson in his underwear was taken in Jeffrey Epstein's Paris flat. 

A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson previously told Paste BN: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken.  

"Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all." 

Sky's Data and Forensics Unit was able to match the metal balcony railing visible in the window to those used on Epstein's Paris home. 

We were also able to match the photo to the same room in which a video, also included in the Epstein files, was taken. The video shows two young women or girls dancing. 

In a still from the video, shown below, we can see a lamp and curtains matching those in the photo of Mandelson, as well as the distinctive red panelling on the wall. 

Another photo taken in the same room shows a piece of paper on the desk with Jeffrey E. Epstein printed at the bottom. 

By Laura Bundock, royal correspondent

These latest pictures released from the Epstein files are both puzzling and embarrassing.

They appear to show the then Prince Andrew on all fours, over a woman who's lying on the floor.

We have no idea who she is, or where and when the photos were taken - and Andrew has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

But once again, we are learning how close he was to Jeffrey Epstein. Exposing emails reveal more about their relationship, and how Andrew continued contact after Epstein was convicted as a sex offender.

Not only that, but there are also several more emails showing the two men stayed in touch after Andrew claimed he had cut off all ties.

Far from their friendship ending, Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson were being helped financially by Epstein.

There are emails from 2011 detailing discussions about a payment to a former member of Fergie's staff, with Epstein describing her finances as an "incredible mess".

It is clear, though, that he was welcomed into the family fold, given rare access to very personal parts of their gilded royal life.

All of this was going on while Andrew was the Duke of York, and an international trade envoy for the UK - his work funded by the public purse.

In the latest episode of Politics at Sam and Anne's, our deputy political editor Sam Coates asks whether there's still a major consequence to come following Lord Mandelson's resignation.

He says there could be a "soft left push" against Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who "drove" Mandelson's appointment.

Lord Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should both testify before the US Congress, the Tories have said.

"That is about getting to the truth, because these are very, very serious issues for those who have been deeply impacted," shadow chancellor Mel Stride says.

Stride tells Mornings with Ridge and Frost that Sir Keir Starmer "should have shown more backbone" and pushed Lord Mandelson out of Labour rather than allowing him to resign first.

He says that Lord Mandelson should be removed from the House of Lords.

Stride also tells Paste BN there should be a " full independent inquiry" into facts around the Epstein case.

He says: "More and more information is coming out of the woodwork through time. Now, some of it is contested by Lord Mandelson, and that's fine. 

"But we do need to get to the truth. We need to get to the facts." 

Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the host of last night's Grammy Awards after the comedian claimed the US president had visited Jeffrey Epstein's island.

"Song of the Year - that is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein's island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton," Trevor Noah said.

Trump hit back with a post on Truth Social, calling the awards ceremony "the WORST".

"Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island," he wrote.

"I can't speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight's false and defamatory statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media."

Trump called on Noah to "get his facts straight" and threatened to sue the comedian.

An email from a New York prosecutor that was released last month said Trump flew on Epstein's private jet "many more times than previously has been reported".

The prosecutor said in an email on 7 January 2020 that flight records showed Trump had flown on Epstein's private jet eight times during the 1990s, but not to the island.

One lists Trump, as well as his son Eric, on a flight with "JE" and "GM" - believed to be Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - between Florida and New Jersey on 13 August 1995.

Responding to the latest release, Trump said the documents had cleared him of allegations about his links with Epstein.

"I didn't see it myself but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it's the opposite of what people were hoping, you know, the radical left," he said.

Watch his response...

In short, the Epstein files are millions of pages of documents that the US Department of Justice holds on the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender.

Donald Trump signed a bill ordering the release of the files in November in a sudden reversal of his resistance to their publication.  

Since then, the US Department of Justice has released millions of pages in several batches, the biggest coming on Friday.

The releases have fallen short, however, of what the bipartisan law in Congress demanded - the full release of the files at once.

The Epstein investigation 

Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he was found dead in his cell in 2019 at the age of 66.

The indictment alleged he sought out minors - some as young as 14 - from at least 2002 to 2005.

He was accused of paying them hundreds of dollars in cash for sexual acts at either his New York City townhouse or his estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

He was under investigation in Florida over allegations he preyed on a number of young victims in the mid-2000s.

Ultimately, he cut a deal to plead guilty to state charges involving just one minor. 

The justice department said last year he had 1,000 victims.

Before Trump's order, tens of thousands of pages of "Epstein files" had become public over the past 20 years, many originating from victims' lawsuits against Epstein and previous criminal investigations.

Sir Keir Starmer "categorically" did not have all information on Lord Mandelson's links to Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed him as US ambassador in December 2024, a minister has told Mornings With Frost and Ridge.

Education minister Olivia Bailey said: "As soon as the information did become clear, rightly, the prime minister took swift action to remove Peter Mandelson as US ambassador."

Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson in September when further information about his links to Epstein were revealed. 

Pushed by Sophy Ridge that Starmer knew enough about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein when he was appointed as ambassador, Bailey said the government "did not know about the extent and nature" of the relationship.

Asked whether Mandelson should testify in the US, she said: "Anybody with any information that could help secure justice for the victims should think very, very hard about that, should do that because the victims and their experiences must be our first priority."

One of the most high-profile names that appears in the Epstein files is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Three images from the latest tranche of documents appear to show him on all fours over a woman lying on the floor.

In two of the pictures, he appears to be touching the woman's stomach, while the other shows him looking straight at the camera.

The photos appear without explanation, date, or further context. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing.

Epstein was promised 'lots of privacy' at Buckingham Palace

Emails suggest Mountbatten-Windsor invited Epstein to Buckingham Palace in September 2010 and promised "lots of privacy".

After Epstein requested "private time", Mountbatten-Windsor told him "alternatively we should have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy".

In a statement issued on 17 October 2025, Mountbatten-Windsor said he "vigorously" denied the accusations against him.

In an email exchange in August 2010, Epstein told Mountbatten-Windsor he had "a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with" and disclosed the dates she would be in London.

Epstein said she was 26, Russian, "beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email".

Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated his call for Mountbatten-Windsor to testify to US Congress over his dealings with Epstein...

Correspondent Paul Kelso runs through the key documents that have emerged from the Epstein files in this explainer video.

Newly released footage shows Jeffrey Epstein facing questions in a sit-down interview. He discusses being a sex offender and is asked by the interviewer: "Do you think you're the devil himself?"

And apparent bank statements indicate the convicted sex offender paid Lord Mandelson $75,000 between 2003 and 2004.