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Earlier this month, following a ‘discussion’ with Britain’s King Charles, Andrew gave up his remaining titles and honours Alamy Stock Photo

Prince Andrew hosted Jeffrey Epstein at his Windsor home just days before his arrest in Florida

It had previously been reported that Epstein had visited Windsor Castle for a birthday event, but not that he had been hosted at Andrew’s private home.

PRINCE ANDREW HOSTED Jeffrey Epstein at his home on the grounds of Windsor Castle just days before Epstein was arrested in Florida.

Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Harvey Weinstein were hosted at the Royal Lodge, the 30-room private home where Andrew lives rent free, prior to his daughter Beatrice’s 18th birthday party at Windsor Castle in 2006.

A witness told the BBC they remembered seeing Weinstein and Epstein at a drinks event in the back garden of Royal Lodge before guests headed to the main party at the castle.

It had previously been reported that Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein had visited Windsor Castle for the birthday event, but not that they had been hosted at Andrew’s private home.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Epstein for the sexual assault of a minor two months before the event and Epstein was arrested in Florida eight days after the birthday celebration.

During the 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, Andrew was asked why he had invited Epstein to his daughter’s 18th birthday, just two months after the US arrest warrant was issued for Epstein.

Andrew replied: “I wasn’t aware when the invitation was issued what was going on in the United States and I wasn’t aware until the media picked up on it because he never said anything about it.”

Earlier this month, following a ‘discussion’ with Britain’s King Charles, Andrew gave up his remaining titles and honours, including the Duke of York, in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

This decision came just days before the publication of a memoir by Andrew’s late alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, to whom he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case.

prince-andrew-with-virginia-giuffre-centre-and-ghislaine-maxwell-photo-us-dept-of-justice Prince Andrew pictured with Virginia Giuffre centre and Ghislaine Maxwell. US Dept of Justice US Dept of Justice

Andrew is said to be in talks with representatives of Britain’s King Charles about leaving Royal Lodge voluntarily after the furore over the “peppercorn” rent for the 30-room mansion, where he has lived for more than 20 years.

However, the controversy around Andrew has continued to grow and Charles was heckled during an engagement in England yesterday.

Charles was a few metres away from a man in the crowd who asked a string of questions including “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” during the visit to Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire.

The man is believed to be a member of anti-monarchy group Republic.

Charles can be seen shaking hands with well-wishers and waving as the man shouts his questions, and at one point a woman turns round and tells him to “shut up”.

Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said: “The royals need to be challenged, and if the politicians won’t do the job and the police won’t investigate, then more and more members of the public will be asking the tough questions.

“We want to see broadcasters invite Charles into a studio and ask him the same questions.”

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey is calling for a select committee inquiry into how the Crown Estate, effectively Andrew’s landlord, has “managed” support for the former duke.

Davey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think, by disgracing his office, Prince Andrew has relinquished any rights to special treatment at the expense of the taxpayer, and Parliament are the guardians of the taxpayer.

“And what I think would be the best thing to happen is a select committee inquiry into how the Crown Estate has managed that support and that officials from the Crown Estate and Prince Andrew should come to give evidence.

“The focus has been around the Royal Lodge which, as I understand it, is where the taxpayer may or may not have been supporting the prince.

“But we just need some more transparency about this… some more accountability. The best way to do that is a select committee inquiry.”

-With additional reporting from Press Association

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