Jeffrey Epstein was eyeing up a five-star hotel near Buckingham Palace to turn it into his ‘London playroom’ – allegedly with the help of one of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s associates, newly released emails reveal.
The paedophile financier took a keen interest in purchasing Dukes Hotel, which is located just a 10-minute walk from the palace.
It was suggested that Epstein could use the first floor of the building to have ‘lots of P’ – a phrase that has appeared regularly in his emails and is believed to reference p****.
Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution for a child in 2008 and freed from jail in 2009.
In 2010, he was part of an email chain involving Dubai-based businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who owned the Dukes Hotel in St James.
He contacted Epstein asking for advice as the hotel’s parent company was struggling due to the terms of the loan used to complete the purchase of the business.
Mr bin Sulayem was looking to find a bank that would re-finance them at a lower interest rate.
Jeffrey Epstein took a keen interest in purchasing the Dukes Hotel – located just a 10-minute walk from the palace – and converting the top floor into a ‘playroom’
It was suggested that Epstein could use the building to have ‘lots of P’ – a phrase that has appeared regularly in his emails and is believed to reference p****
In 2010, Epstein was part of an email chain involving Dubai-based businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (pictured), who owned the Dukes Hotel
However Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, showed interest as a potential buyer, emails released by the US Justice Department on Friday show.
One person, whose name is redacted, emailed Epstein with a proposal to buy Dukes, saying Epstein could then ‘make the top your london residence, have room for lots of P, and have full hotel services’.
Epstein began investigating the purchase further, asking financial advisers to work out the real value of Dukes and how much would have to be spent on refurbishing it.
The hotel’s owners shared confidential internal financial projections with the convicted child sex trafficker, London Centric reported.
The due diligence on the potential London hotel deal included conversations with David Stern, a businessman who later became a director of Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace entrepreneurs initiative.
Stern, who was already becoming close to Prince Andrew thanks to Epstein, seemed keen on the idea of buying the hotel in order to install a ‘playroom’.
He emailed the convicted sex offender, saying: ‘I was thinking of looking at actual rooms at the Duke tomorrow before i fly, to check how small they are.
Andrew and Epstein are pictured together in New York’s Central Park
A copy of an email sent by David Stern to Epstein referencing the Duke Hotel
The due diligence on the potential London hotel deal included conversations with David Stern, a businessman who later became a director of Prince Andrew’s Pitch@Palace entrepreneurs initiative
Image released as part of the Epstein files appears to show Andrew on all fours over a female
‘Your London playroom on top floor – after some renovation – is still something i like.
‘Should I look at it: yes or waste of time?’
Epstein told him to continue, saying: ‘Look.’
The same day Epstein emailed hotel magnate Giuseppe Cipriani to ask whether he wanted to be involved in buying Dukes, asking ‘any interest in doing this with me’.
Cipriani did not pursue the deal further but Epstein appeared to maintain his interest in the property’s fortunes and was kept informed of its financial situation throughout the following the months.
‘Please stop by the hotel when you are in London next,’ wrote Mr bin Sulayem to Epstein in a later email, again asking for financial help with Dukes.
Eventually the hotel’s performance improved and no deal took place. It is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment and is due to reopen in 2026.
