The latest swathe of Epstein documents have revealed just how deep the paedophile’s links were with some of the world’s biggest names – and most prominent families.

They include Britain’s royal family, where Epstein’s friendship with the former prince Andrew was well-known.

But the three million documents released by the US Justice Department a week ago – along with more than 2000 videos and 180,000 images – revealed the former Duke of York was far from the only royal embroiled with the disgraced financier.

The documents, which were posted to the department’s website, included several million pages of records that had initially been withheld.

They were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure in the US that requires the Trump administration to open files on the late financier and his confidant and one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

And they showed that Britain’s monarchy is not the only one caught up in the crisis. Epstein’s reach also stretched into European royal families.

(Being mentioned in the files does not constitute wrongdoing.)

The former prince with Virginia Giuffre. He has always denied meeting her.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The embattled younger brother of the King is probably the best-known of Epstein’s royal connections.

Photographs of Mountbatten-Windsor released last week showed him on all fours, looming over a woman lying on the floor.

The former prince also exchanged emails with Epstein about a “beautiful” Russian woman and invited him to Buckingham Palace.

“Wish I was still a pet in your family,” Mountbatten-Windsor tells Epstein in one message.

In another document, an exotic dancer hired to perform for Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor said she was asked to engage in “sex acts” and have a threesome.

The files also include a “draft statement” sent by a “G Maxwell” to Epstein in 2015 that appears to confirm the provenance of a photograph of Mountbatten-Windsor with Virginia Guiffre, who accused him of trafficking her.

“In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family,” it reads.

The former prince has always denied meeting Giuffre, and claimed the photo was doctored.

Late last year, Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles, and this week he moved to a smaller house on the King’s Sandringham Estate. He has previously strongly denied any wrongdoing.

On Thursday, the King and Queen were heckled about him during a royal walkabout.

“Charles, Charles, have you pressurised the police to start investigating Andrew?” a man yelled.

This image of Ferguson was released in the latest batch of files. Its date is unknown. Photo: US Department of Justice

Sarah Ferguson

The documents have also revealed more about the former prince’s former wife’s relationship with Epstein, including her gushing emails.

“You are a legend,” Ferguson wrote to Epstein in June 2010, a year after he was released from jail in Florida on a child sex charge.

“I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me.”

Earlier, she had thanked Epstein for “being the brother I have always wished for” and said she had “never been more touched by a friend’s kindness”.

In 2009, Epstein was asked to pay about $US15,000 ($A21,400) for Ferguson’s travel to Miami, according to the files.

Two days after Epstein’s release from jail, his assistant Lesley Groff emailed him to ask if he would pay for flights from London to the US and back for Ferguson and “the girls”. It said the then-duchess would be in business class, while daughters Princess Beatrice (then 21) and Princess Eugenie (then 19) would fly economy.

Following this week’s revelations, Ferguson’s charity Sarah’s Trust said it would close “for the foreseeable future” after “some months” of discussion.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit with her adult son, Marius Hoiby. Photo: AAP

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

The 52-year-old wife of the heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon, is mentioned hundreds of times in the latest documents.

The Norwegian royal palace has confirmed Mette-Marit borrowed Epstein’s house through a mutual friend. She stayed there for four days with a friend, according to royal spokeswoman Guri Varpe.

She also met Epstein during this visit.

“Googled u after last email,” Mette-Marit wrote to the convicted sex offender in October 2011, according to the files. “Agree didn’t look too good.”

In another email, Mette-Marit asked Epstein if a mother should suggest wallpaper decorated with images of naked women carrying surfboards for her son.

The princess’s 29-year-old son from an earlier relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, went on trial in Norway this week. He faces 38 charges, including four counts of rape.

Last weekend, Mette-Marit released a statement expressing her “deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the abuses committed by Jeffrey Epstein”.

“I showed poor judgment and regret having any contact with Epstein at all. It is simply embarrassing,” she said.

Sofia Hellqvist married Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip in 2015. Photo: AAP

Princess Sofia

The Swedish princess has also been drawn into the Epstein fallout, with the Swedish Royal Court confirming she had some contact with Epstein.

The latest files include an image of her that appears to be from 2010, while she was still Sofia Hellqvist.

“Soon Princess Sofia… the whole Swedish press is looking for her… while she is in Africa!” the email from Epstein reads,

A spokesperson for Sweden’s royal family said the princess recalled meeting Epstein “on a few occasions around 20 years ago, many years before the [she] became a member of the royal family”.

“We wish to clarify that the meetings in question took place in social settings, such as at a restaurant and a movie premiere,” they said.

“We are aware that the princess’ name (misspelled) is reported to have been found in a document from a premiere in 2012. However, the princess does not know how her name has ended up on this list. Her Royal Highness was in Sweden at the time and had – as stated above – not met Mr Epstein for several years.”

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