A second woman has alleged that Jeffrey Epstein sent her to the UK in 2010 for a sexual encounter with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Royal Lodge, according to her US lawyer, Brad Edwards. BBC News was told Buckingham Palace guest lists exist but cannot be used to corroborate the woman’s reported tour without identifying her. Andrew has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment. (theguardian.com)
Edwards said the woman, then in her 20s and not British, states she spent the night at Royal Lodge and was later given a tour of Buckingham Palace and tea. He added there were prior communications between the woman and Andrew and said he is considering filing a civil lawsuit on her behalf. Edwards represents more than 200 Epstein survivors and previously acted for Virginia Giuffre. (theguardian.com)
This is the first time an Epstein survivor has alleged an encounter took place at a royal residence. Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from a 14‑year‑old in Florida and completed his sentence in July 2010. Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing and denies Giuffre’s claims. (theguardian.com)
Buckingham Palace announced on 30 October 2025 that the King had initiated the formal process to remove Andrew’s style, titles and honours and served notice to surrender the Royal Lodge lease, adding that their sympathies remain with victims and survivors. On 3 November 2025, Letters Patent removed the HRH style and the titular dignity of “Prince”, and a Royal Warrant directed Andrew’s removal from the Roll of the Peerage as Duke of York. Both measures are recorded in the Gazette. (royal.uk)
Parliament’s researchers note that while prerogative instruments can remove the HRH style and direct removal from the Roll, extinguishing a peerage altogether would require primary legislation. Removal from the Roll of the Peerage stops official use of the title but does not itself abolish the peerage. The House of Lords Library has set out these constraints on prerogative powers. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk)
Edwards has argued that censure without a financial resolution enables Andrew to maintain that he lacks the means to compensate survivors. That is the lawyer’s view; the Palace statement noted that the measures were necessary even though Andrew continues to deny the allegations. (theguardian.com)
For conduct alleged in 2010, trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation was an offence under sections 57–59 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Since July 2015, section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act has consolidated trafficking as arranging or facilitating travel with a view to exploitation. Consent to travel is irrelevant and jurisdiction over UK nationals is extraterritorial. (legislation.gov.uk)
Enforcement context is material. A BBC investigation in December 2025 identified 87 Epstein‑linked flights arriving at or departing UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018, including journeys after Epstein’s 2008 conviction; several passenger entries listed only “females”. The BBC reported that private aviation manifest rules referenced in its analysis were tightened in April the previous year. Referrals to the National Referral Mechanism reached record quarterly highs in 2025. (archive.ph)
Civil redress in England and Wales typically proceeds as a personal injury claim in tort. While such claims carry a primary three‑year time limit, section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980 gives courts a discretion to disapply the time bar. The House of Lords in A v Hoare confirmed that this discretion extends to intentional assaults, enabling historic sexual assault claims to proceed where equitable. (legislation.gov.uk)
Separately, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 provides state‑funded awards for crimes of violence, including sexual offences, with applications normally expected within two years, subject to extensions in exceptional circumstances. Following 2022–23 consultations, ministers in 2025 declined to extend time limits to seven years for child sexual abuse cases or to widen eligibility for non‑contact offences recommended by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. (gov.uk)
From 1 October 2025, changes implemented under the Victims and Prisoners Act make clear that non‑disclosure agreements cannot validly prevent a victim of crime from reporting to the police or sharing information with CICA or the courts to pursue compensation. This may be relevant where survivors previously signed confidentiality clauses. (gov.uk)
Edwards says a civil claim is under consideration. Meanwhile, a 30 January 2026 disclosure by the United States Department of Justice of more than three million pages of Epstein‑related material has prompted fresh scrutiny, with media reports citing newly surfaced images and 2010 emails referencing Buckingham Palace. Andrew has denied wrongdoing and did not respond to the BBC’s latest request for comment. (washingtonpost.com)