Newly released documents from the House Oversight Committee in the US have shed further light on the controversial association between the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The files allege Prince Andrew enjoyed luxury travel on Epstein's private jet, notoriously dubbed 'the Lolita Express', and also received massages paid for by the paedophile.

Detailed flight logs identify Prince Andrew as a passenger on a flight from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Palm Beach, Florida, on May 12, 2000, alongside Epstein, his then-girlfriend and now convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, and two other redacted individuals. Prince Andrew's name reappears in the flight records on May 16, 2002. Furthermore, an excerpt from Epstein's ledger appears to show a $200 massage for Andrew on May 16, 2000. This particular detail is significant as the massage sessions Epstein frequently conducted at his Palm Beach home were reportedly used to facilitate the abuse of minors and young girls, forcing them into sex acts, with victims often testifying they were paid around $200 per session.

The Duke's involvement with Epstein's private jet had previously been brought to light during Maxwell's trial, where one of her accusers, who was 14 at the time, recounted travelling on a flight with Andrew. Prince Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he terminated his friendship with Epstein once the full extent of his crimes became public. He also strongly denied the claims made by Virginia Giuffre that she was sex-trafficked to him by Epstein when she was 17, ultimately reaching a reported £12 million civil settlement with Giuffre in 2022, without any admission of guilt.

Beyond Prince Andrew, the released documents also make reference to X owner Elon Musk, who was listed as a potential visitor to Epstein's private island, Little St James, on December 6, 2014. This entry appeared on what seems to be Epstein's daily schedule, with a reminder noted: 'Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec.6 (is this still happening?)'. This alleged visit would have taken place six years after Epstein became a registered sex offender. Musk later claimed he declined invitations to the paedophile's island and reportedly deleted posts he had made about the sex offender, despite having previously suggested the Trump administration was concealing information about Mr. Trump's association with Epstein. The pages from Epstein's schedule also indicated contact with other prominent figures such as Bill Gates, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, and investor Peter Thiel, though there is no evidence to suggest they were aware of Epstein's criminal activities.

The House Oversight Committee, through spokesperson Sara Guerrero, has reiterated its commitment to seeking justice for survivors and victims, stating that they will continue their efforts until all individuals complicit in Epstein's heinous crimes are identified. The committee has faced mounting pressure to subpoena Prince Andrew to testify regarding his relationship with Epstein; however, as a British citizen, he cannot be legally compelled to give evidence in the US.

The release of these files follows recent controversy surrounding Sarah, Duchess of York, after an email she sent to Epstein surfaced, in which she apologised for disowning him in the media and referred to him as a 'supreme friend'. Her spokesman explained the message was written under threat of a defamation lawsuit from Epstein, an incident which subsequently led to the Duchess being dropped by a number of charities.

Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019, while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.