A new wave of reactions was sparked by the publication of photographs and documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s file in the United States, which include images that are said to depict Prince Andrew in controversial moments with a woman lying on the floor. In the photographs, according to the descriptions accompanying the material, a man resembling the former Duke of York can be seen bending over a woman, while in one of the images he looks directly at the camera.

As with much of the material included in the so-called “Epstein files,” it is not clarified when or where the photographs were taken, nor are additional explanations provided. It is recalled that in a previous batch of documents, a photograph of Prince Andrew in a private residence, surrounded by women, had been released, a fact that had already provoked intense criticism.

The new documents were made public by the U.S. Department of Justice, which announced that extensive declassification had taken place, with the aim of protecting victims and safeguarding ongoing investigations. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche clarified that victims’ personal data, medical records, child sexual abuse material, as well as information that could affect ongoing investigations, have been removed or altered. The faces of women—except for Ghislaine Maxwell—have been blurred, unlike those of men.

Of particular interest are emails included in the documents concerning communication between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein in 2010, just days after the end of Epstein’s house arrest. In them, the then prince is said to invite Epstein to dinner at Buckingham Palace, referring to “plenty of privacy,” although it is not clear whether the meeting ultimately took place.

The files also include references to other well-known figures, such as Bill Gates, as well as to members of the British royal family. At the same time, testimonies are recorded from women who had worked for Epstein in the late 1990s, who express reservations about requests that, as they state, went beyond the limits of professional cooperation.

Prince Andrew and Donald Trump have repeatedly denied any involvement in illegal acts. However, the new material reignites public debate about the former Duke of York’s ties to Epstein, especially in light of his past statements that he had traveled to the United States in order to sever their friendship.

It is worth noting that, according to an internal FBI memo included in the files, U.S. authorities reportedly assess that Prince Andrew “is not a central figure” in the criminal investigation. Nevertheless, the mass release of the documents—which Todd Blanche likened in volume to “two Eiffel Towers”—brings back with intensity one of the darkest and most controversial chapters of the Epstein case to the international spotlight.