Princess Sofia Skips Royal Event as Palace Issues New Epstein Statement

The Swedish Royal Court has issued a second statement clarifying when and where Princess Sofia met late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following renewed scrutiny over emails and photos linking the two nearly two decades ago.

On Dec. 12, GB News published the additional palace statement, which was later circulated by the Daily Mail. It offered further detail about how Prince Carl Philip’s wife came into contact with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

PEOPLE has contacted the Swedish Royal Court for comment.

“The recent media reporting regarding Princess Sofia has given rise to speculation about the Princess and her alleged relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” began the palace statement shared by GB News. 

It continued by referencing questions from the Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter, which earlier this week published emails between Epstein and financier Barbro Ehnbom that suggested Epstein was introduced to Sofia when she was in her 20s. The following day, Swedish outlet Expressen published a group photo that Ehnbom allegedly sent Epstein on his birthday in 2008, showing Sofia among four women.

“The Royal Court notes the significant media interest in this matter. At the same time, it is important that the reporting remains focused on what is relevant. No one can be expected to remember every person they have encountered throughout their life; however, Princess Sofia recalls meeting Epstein on a few occasions about 20 years ago. We wish to clarify that these meetings took place in social settings, such as at a restaurant and a movie premiere,” the statement said. 

The palace went on to state: “Reports that the Princess received help from Epstein with acting lessons or with a visa to the United States are incorrect. The Princess has never been dependent on him in any way, nor has she had any contact with him for the past 20 years.”

The renewed attention comes as Princess Sofia, 41, missed two major royal events this week. On Dec. 11, she was absent from the Nobel Prize laureates dinner at the Royal Palace in Stockholm — an event she attended last year — hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. The bash was attended by Queen Silvia, Sofia’s husband, Prince Carl Philip, 46, his sisters Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine and their husbands.

She also skipped the Nobel Prize Awards ceremony on Dec. 10, another annual royal engagement for the family, another annual event on the royal family’s calendar that her in-laws, husband and sisters attended.

Earlier this week, Swedish paper Dagens Nyheter published emails between Epstein and Ehnbom, who has been described as a former mentor to Sofia and attended her royal wedding in 2015. 

According to a translation, Ehnbom reportedly wrote in a December 2005 email featuring a photo, “This is Sofia, an aspiring actress who just arrived in New York. She’s the girl I told you about before I left, who I thought you might like to meet. Maybe we can visit before you go on holiday?”

“I’m in the Caribbean. Does she want to come for a couple of days? I’ll send a ticket,” Epstein reportedly replied.

The Swedish Royal Court then confirmed to Dagens Nyheter that Princess Sofia “has been introduced to the person in question on a few occasions around 2005,” before Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution, including with a minor, in 2008, and later faced federal sex trafficking charges in 2019.

According to the palace, Sofia did not accept the invite to join Epstein in the Caribbean, where he is suspected of committing sexual assaults against multiple girls and women.

“The princess has not had any contact with the person in question for 20 years,” the palace told Dagens Nyheter.

The outlet also released a 2006 email from Epstein’s assistant to Ehnbom, which read, “Jeffrey wonders what really happened with Camilla. Did you tell her she has a ticket to New York anytime she wants?”

Ehnbom replied, “I think he means Sofia, the little beautiful dark-haired girl who had her friend Camilla with her.” Ehnbom also wrote that Epstein offered Sofia and her friend places at an acting school, but there were issues with their visas.

Before she began dating and later married Prince Carl Philip, Sofia Hellqvist was a model and reality star who also taught yoga while studying business in New York.

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She has openly spoken about the “hate storm” she endured during the early days of her royal romance and has dedicated herself to royal duty since marrying into the Swedish royal family in June 2015.

She and Prince Carl Philip also share four children, the youngest of whom was christened in June.