Epstein and Maxwell pictured at Queen's private cabin

Evidence that Prince Andrew had a rather tight-knit relationship with sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged partner-in-crime Ghislaine Maxwell has been piling up. The latest, released by the US Department of Justice during the ongoing trial against Maxwell, shows the pair cozying up in the Queen’s very own estate in the Scottish Highlands.

Sex criminals in Balmoral

The photo, which shows Epstein and Ghislaine cuddling in a log cabin at Balmoral, was reportedly taken in 1999—when the two visited the estate as personal guests of Prince Andrew. Moreover, in 2019, Mail Online reported that a young model, who was in her 20s, accompanied the trio during the trip.

Prince Andrew has not confirmed or denied taking the duo to his mother's estate but the photograph is solid proof that they had visited Balmoral as the Queen, and other members of the royal family, have taken pictures in the same spot.

This, however, was not the only time the controversial pair had been invited to be a part of British royal life. According to The Independent, they had also attended Prince Andrew’s 40th birthday party in Windsor Castle in June 2000.

Since the release of the photograph, the Buckingham Place has not commented on the presence of the sex criminal on royal grounds.

Trial against Ghislaine Maxwell

This picture was one of the 19 which were presented in court by the prosecution to prove the intimate relationship between Epstein and Maxwell.

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently being charged of trafficking underage girls and grooming them for Epstein and his entourage—which Prince Andrew was allegedly a part of. She has pleaded not guilty for all charges and her defence team has been arguing that she was used as a 'scapegoat' by Epstein, who committed suicide in jail in 2019.

If found to be guilty, Maxwell may serve up to 80 years in prison.