Court papers show Epstein socialized with Prince Andrew

Britain's Prince Andrew has strenuously denied participating in the alleged sex crimes leveled against U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace released a statement on Sunday (August 18) rejecting any suggestion that Queen Elizabeth's son was involved.

Epstein committed suicide in a Manhattan jail cell earlier this month while being held on sex-trafficking charges.

The Palace statement said: "The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes.

His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent."

Over the weekend, the British media published a picture which they said showed Andrew waving goodbye to a woman from inside a Manhattan mansion owned by Epstein.

The Daily Mail said the picture had been taken in 2010.

That was two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state felony prostitution charge and registered as a sex offender.

U.S. court papers have previously shown that Epstein had socialised with the prince and other figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump.