BRUSSELS, Belgium — Prince Laurent of Belgium has publicly confirmed having two private meetings with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The royal’s admission came following the release of U.S. Department of Justice documents that referenced his name among other prominent figures connected to Epstein.
The 62-year-old brother of King Philippe provided detailed clarification to the Belga news agency, specifying that these encounters occurred upon Epstein’s initiative during two distinct periods: the early 1990s and approximately a decade later. Prince Laurent emphasized these were exclusively one-on-one meetings, asserting he never participated in any group gatherings or public events with Epstein or his associates.
The prince detailed the circumstances surrounding their initial contact, explaining that Epstein first approached him while he was serving as a UN intern and later during his tenure at a New York banking institution. Epstein reportedly sought an introduction to Belgium’s royal family through the prince, a request that Laurent states he consistently refused.
Approximately ten years after their initial contact, Epstein extended another invitation, this time to a dinner gathering in Paris that allegedly included a head of state and several influential businessmen. Prince Laurent maintains he declined this invitation as well.
Notably, the prince faces no allegations of misconduct related to Epstein’s criminal activities. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges for sex trafficking minors, after having previously pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The disclosure comes months after Prince Laurent revealed another personal matter—that he fathered a child with a Flemish model and singer prior to his 2003 marriage.