by Stephen Wright, Daily Mail:

• Daily Mail investigation reveals further details about Prince Andrew’s New York sojourn in December 2010


• The royal claimed he ‘never saw’ anything at Jeffrey Epstein’s £60 million mansion that aroused his suspicions


• New pictures show there were six women and three men photographed entering and leaving during his stay


• Photographs from December 5 and 6 also show what are believed to be three American protection officers

The Manhattan mansion belonging to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was notorious for its revolving cast of guests.

In his ‘car crash’ Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew likened the £60 million property to a ‘railway station’ on account of the sheer volume of visitors. Until now, the royal’s New York sojourn in December 2010 — that proved key to his downfall this week — has largely been shrouded in secrecy.

Today, however, a Daily Mail investigation reveals further details about the extraordinary trip — including a whole new roster of potential witnesses who were present at the time and who could help the ongoing FBI probe into the billionaire’s activities.

Prince Andrew claimed he ‘never saw’ anything there which aroused his suspicions, although there were six women and three men photographed entering and leaving during his stay who could corroborate or disprove his account.

Our exclusive pictures also show what are believed to be three male American protection officers. A closer look shows badges worn by the U.S. diplomatic security detail; their role would most likely have been to protect the visiting royal.

An eyewitness account describes a total of five protection officers that kept a polite distance from Andrew and Epstein as they passed the sealions attraction at the Central Park Zoo.

All of them could provide important testimonies for the investigation.

Here, with the help of our gallery, including previously unpublished photographs, we set out in detail the comings and goings during the Prince’s visit nine years ago. We retraced the pair’s steps during their infamous Central Park walk, during which Andrew claims he ended their association.

Our picture dossier includes close-ups of their intense exchange and a new photograph of them on the glamorous designer shopping street, Madison Avenue.

There is a distinctly frosty atmosphere as the now eighth in line to the throne appears to tap anxiously at his phone while Epstein frowns at his side.

The Duke of York has since admitted it was a mistake to visit the billionaire playboy’s home 17 months after Epstein’s release from jail for child sex offences.

Prince Andrew and Epstein seen after leaving the late financier’s home in Manhattan at around 2.06pm on December 5, 2010

Following his resignation from public duties this week, the Prince signalled he would speak to FBI detectives investigating Epstein as he readied himself for a subpoena from U.S. lawyers demanding he gives evidence under oath.

Our new pictures could help investigators identify potentially vital new witnesses and establish whether the American paedophile was committing offences following his release from prison.

They could also help the beleaguered royal clear his name of alleged wrongdoing. A former head of Scotland Yard’s royalty protection squad, retired Met Chief Supt Dai Davies, said agents must now take statements from protection officers who accompanied Prince Andrew during his numerous trips to see the disgraced American financier, who died in an apparent suicide in a New York City federal jail in August.

THE TIMELINE

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Prince spent at least five days at Epstein’s 21,000 sq ft mansion on this occasion.

It began with him being guest of honour at a dinner party organised by New York party planner Peggy Siegal. It was to celebrate Epstein’s release from an 18-month prison sentence for having sex with underage girls. No doubt it was an attempt to cleanse Epstein’s image and re-integrate him into Manhattan society.

The guest list included film director Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi, Katie Couric, then the highest-paid female TV anchor in America, George Stephanopoulos, a former White House communications director under President Bill Clinton, comedian Chelsea Handler and TV news host Charlie Rose.

Mr Allen and Mr Rose have both been accused of sexual misconduct, unrelated to the Epstein case.

Miss Handler told the New York Times recently that ‘it was just one of those strange nights’.

She said Miss Siegal had not really made clear who was hosting the event, adding: ‘The invitation was positioned as, ‘Do you want to have dinner with Prince Andrew?’

Read More @ DailyMail.co.uk