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Metropolitan Police officers were ordered to provide security for a celebrity dinner party thrown in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's honour at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York home, newly released emails suggest.
Two royal protection officers from Scotland Yard were seemingly told by Epstein’s staff to guard the door of the Manhattan townhouse as celebrity guests arrived at a 2010 dinner party held in honour of Andrew.
Andrew claimed in 2019 that he had travelled to New York solely to “cut ties” with Epstein, when the pair were photographed in Central Park during the 2010 trip.
But emails from the Epstein Files released by the US Department of Justice reveal the visit lasted at least eight days, and also appear to show that the financier offered to accommodate the then-Prince’s protection officers at the property on 71st Street.
The property, which was kitted out with a massage room and paintings of naked women, is believed to have been the scene of sex crimes stretching over a period of years.
Four days into Andrew’s visit to New York, Epstein threw a dinner party for Andrew on December 2 and invited a string of celebrity guests to the house, according to The Sunday Times.
In an email sent the night before the party, an unidentified member of staff wrote to Epstein: “The Duke’s 2 protection officers along with state security will all be here for tomorrow’s dinner party … Rich has given them instructions on the door. Do you wish [sic] Rich to stay for the party or is it ok for him to go home?”
The reference to “state security” could imply that US diplomatic protection officers may have also attended.
“Rich” is thought to be Richard Barnett, Epstein’s chief engineer and security fixer, according to The Sunday Times.
The email’s subject heading was: “Security for party.”
Celebrity guests invited to the party included Hollywood director Woody Allen, and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, the newspaper reports.
Two US news anchors, Katie Couric and George Stephanopoulos, talk show host Charlie Rose, and comedian Chelsea Handler were all also present, it is claimed.
Sir Mick Jagger received an invite but failed to attend, according to the Sunday Times.
The suggestion that Met officers effectively acted as bouncers at the convicted paedophile's party comes as pressure mounts on the force following the Epstein scandal.
It follows claims Andrew's protection officers turned a "blind eye" to his visits to Epstein's island, Little St James.
Andrew, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was stripped of his Royal title last year after the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, in which she claimed she had sex with Andrew on Epstein’s private island.
A former protection officer told LBC Andrew’s protection team travelled with Andrew to the private island on at least two occasions, including one travelling on Epstein’s private jet.
The Met Police is now asking former and serving protection officers who may have worked closely with Andrew to "consider carefully" whether anything they saw or heard could hold useful information.
Andrew was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, which saw him held in custody for 11 hours before being released under investigation.
The Met also announced they are looking into the suggestion that London airports may have been used to facilitate human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The force said no new reports of alleged sexual offences have been made since the release of millions of pages of documents related to Epstein by the US Department of Justice.
Police are yet to identify any wrongdoing by close protection officers.
In a statement issued on Friday, police said: "The Met is identifying and contacting former and serving officers who may have worked closely, in a protection capacity, with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
"They have been asked to consider carefully whether anything they saw or heard during that period of service may be relevant to our ongoing reviews and to share any information that could assist us."
The statement added: "As of today, no new criminal allegations have been made to the Met regarding sexual offences said to have occurred within our jurisdiction.
"We continue to urge anyone with new or relevant information to come forward.
"All allegations will be taken seriously and, as with any matter, any information received will be assessed and investigated where appropriate."
Searches have continued at Andrew’s former home as the Government vowed to consider removing him from the line of succession once police investigations have concluded.
The former duke spent 11 hours in police custody on his 66th birthday before being released under investigation following allegations he shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy.
Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his links to the convicted sex offender, but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.
Thames Valley Police, who are leading the investigation, are yet to receive any “early investigative advice” from the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the allegation, it is understood.
LBC has approached the Metropolitan Police for comment.
