US authorities on Friday released a further tranche of files linked to the investigation into the late, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The documents include references to a number of high-profile figures, among them US President Donald Trump, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and British billionaire Richard Branson.
Below are some of the repercussions that have followed the latest disclosures so far.
Norway’s Crown Princess
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, whose name reportedly appears more than 1,000 times across the millions of newly released documents, has apologised for what she described as her “embarrassing” friendship with Epstein.
Emails published by Norwegian media, dating from 2011 to 2014, show Mette-Marit corresponding with Epstein. In one message, she asked whether it was “inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15-year-old son’s wallpaper”.
On Saturday, the crown princess said she had “shown poor judgement” and that she “deeply regretted having had any contact with Epstein”, describing the relationship as “embarrassing”.
According to the royal palace, Mette-Marit ended contact with Epstein in 2014 after concluding that he was attempting to use his connection with her to gain influence with others.
The revelations come at a difficult moment for the royal family, as Mette-Marit’s 29-year-old son, Marius Borg Høiby, is due to stand trial at Oslo District Court on Tuesday.
He faces 38 charges, including the alleged rape of four women, as well as assault and drug-related offences. He denies the most serious allegations.
Britain’s Prince Andrew
Britain’s former Prince Andrew has again been drawn into the Epstein scandal. The latest release includes undated photographs allegedly showing him kneeling on all fours over a woman lying on the floor.
Asked on Saturday whether Andrew should testify before the US Congress, as has been repeatedly demanded, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer replied “yes” while concluding an official visit to China and Japan.
In October last year, King Charles III stripped his brother of his remaining royal titles and honours after Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre alleged she had been trafficked to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including twice when she was 17.
Slovakia’s security adviser
Slovakia’s national security adviser has resigned over links to Epstein, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Sunday.
Miroslav Lajčák is reported to have exchanged text messages about women with Epstein in 2018 during his second term as foreign minister, according to the BBC.
Announcing the resignation on Facebook, Fico said the government was losing “an incredible source of experience and knowledge in foreign policy”, adding that Lajčák had “categorically denied and rejected” the allegations.
LA Olympics chief
The head of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games organising committee, Casey Wasserman, apologised on Saturday after decades-old flirtatious emails between him and Epstein’s former girlfriend appeared in the files.
Wasserman said the 2003 email exchanges with Ghislaine Maxwell — who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking underage girls for Epstein — occurred before her crimes were known.
He said he had “never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein” and added that he was “deeply sorry for having any association with either of them”.
Former British ambassador to the US
Peter Mandelson, who was dismissed as Britain’s ambassador to Washington last year over his ties to Epstein, resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday after the newly released US documents reignited scrutiny of his relationship with the disgraced financier.
Banking records cited by British media indicate that Epstein transferred $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson in 2003 and 2004. Mandelson told the BBC he had no recollection or record of receiving any such payments.
In a letter to Labour’s general secretary, Mandelson said that “allegations which I believe to be false… need to be investigated by me”, adding that he was stepping down to spare the party “further embarrassment”.
Newly released, undated photographs appear to show Mandelson wearing a T-shirt and underwear beside a woman whose face has been redacted by US authorities. He told the BBC that he could not identify the woman or the location.
In January, Mandelson apologised to Epstein’s victims and for his past friendship with the convicted sex offender.
