The first known picture showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Jeffrey Epstein, and Peter Mandelson together has been uncovered.
Showing the three men sat around a table wearing bathrobes while drinking out of mugs printed with the US flag, the image is understood to have been taken in Martha’s Vineyard, as originally reported by ITV News.
It has been dug out from a tranche of documents released by the US Department of Justice as part of the Epstein files. The picture was reportedly taken between 1999 and 2000, although no exact time or date has been given.
The image is believed to have been taken before Epstein was imprisoned in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Both Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Mandelson have recently come under renewed scrutiny over their ties to the paedophile financier. In February, the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after allegations were made against him over sharing sensitive information with Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy.
Days later, Lord Mandelson was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over claims he shared confidential government information with the disgraced financier during his time as business secretary.
Emails from 2009 appear to show Lord Mandelson pass on an assessment by Gordon Brown’s adviser of potential policy measures, including an “asset sales plan”.
He also appeared to discuss a tax on bankers’ bonuses and confirm an imminent bailout package for the euro the day before it was announced in 2010.
Both men were released pending further investigation and strongly deny all allegations.
Sir Keir Starmer has also come under pressure to explain his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US ambassador despite warnings over his ties to Epstein. Lord Mandelson was sacked from the role last year because of his links to Epstein, and later stepped down from the House of Lords.
On Monday, the UK government released the first batch of documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment after MPs ordered their release following questions over how the peer was vetted.
The dossier shows the prime minister was given warnings over the “reputational risk” posed by Lord Mandelson’s appointment, but chose to ignore them.
In a section of a due diligence report titled “Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein”, the document said: “After Epstein was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008, their relationship continued across 2009-2011, beginning when Lord Mandelson was business minister and continuing after the end of the Labour government.
“Mandelson reportedly stayed in Epstein’s house while he was in jail in June 2009.”
Sir Keir has insisted he was “repeatedly lied to” by Lord Mandelson over his ties to Epstein.
Other pictures uncovered from the Epstein files appear to show Mr Mountbatten-Windsor crouched over a woman lying on the floor.
The former prince was stripped of his titles last year and evicted from his home of Royal Lodge after emails released appeared to show he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he had previously admitted.
That news was followed by the publication of a posthumous memoir by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Mr Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17. It detailed three alleged sexual encounters with the former prince, who she said acted as if he believed “having sex with me was his birthright”.
An FBI document also uncovered from the files appears to show a Brazilian woman told investigators she massaged Mr Mountbatten-Windsor at Epstein’s New York home, after which he massaged her.
Mr Mountbatten-Windsor strongly denies all allegations.
