Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and alleged enabler of deceased, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is reportedly still in contact with Prince Andrew, according to a family friend.
“She adores Prince Andrew, they’re still in touch now, but she won’t come out of hiding, even for him,” Laura Goldman, a family friend of the Maxwells, said in a Monday interview with The Sun. “She’d only reveal herself if it was in her best interest, which it isn’t yet. So she’ll be staying out of the limelight for now and leaving him to fend for himself, despite her huge affection for him and the fact that she could have taken some of the heat off him recently.”
The Duke of York, a longtime friend of Epstein, was forced out of Buckingham Palace in November amid fallout from a BBC interview he gave, during which he tried to defend himself against allegations that he raped Virginia Roberts Giuffre while she was underage. He has also stepped back from his royal duties.
Goldman claimed Maxwell, who has stayed out of the public view since Epstein’s arrest, is being hidden by wealthy associates who are helping her financially. She also claimed the socialite likely “has so much dirt on powerful people,” which could help her stay out of prison.
The FBI is investigating Maxwell to determine if she “facilitated” Epstein’s sex crimes. She has contended she has not done anything illegal, however.
[Opinion: Why aren’t we getting answers on Epstein?]
