Princess Sofia of Sweden breaks silence on Epstein encounters after DOJ file release
Princess Sofia is speaking out publicly for the first time about her past connection to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Feb. 10, the 41-year-old addressed reporters before appearing at the Ctrl + Rights Youth Summit at the Intiman Theater in Stockholm.
"I met him in a couple of social settings," said the wife of Prince Carl Philip about Epstein, according to Sweden’s TV4 via an English translation.
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"Now that I have read about the horrific crimes he subjected young women to, I’m so grateful that I’ve had nothing to do with him since those few occasions in my 20s.
"My thoughts go out to all the victims, and I hope there is justice in this."
The Swedish royal added that she met Epstein at a social event and a film screening.
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"Thank goodness it was just that," she said.
Royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital that when a senior member of the royal family publicly addresses Epstein head-on, it’s no small thing. It’s a bold move that puts accountability and public trust front and center.
"Princess Sofia’s decision to address this directly is significant because she didn’t necessarily have to," Matta explained.
"She’s seen as a possible victim, not an intimate associate or someone who maintained contact with Epstein after his conviction. Other royals with closer Epstein ties have, so far, relied on official palace statements or chosen to stay silent," Matta added.
"Sofia's inclusion in the files underscores how large and enticing Epstein's social circle was in the early 2000s, even to young women.
"She is absolutely right to remark 'thank goodness’ that her ties to him did not go beyond a few brushes at public events. For that reason, this story is unlikely to be damaging to her public image in the long run. By speaking now, she’s also prevented further speculation from taking off."
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The princess broke her silence about a week and a half after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released more than 3 million records connected to the late financier, including his personal emails.
The latest batch included three photos of Britain’s Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on all fours over an unidentified woman lying on the ground on her back. The woman is fully clothed, and her face is blacked out.
In December, the Royal Court of Sweden acknowledged that Princess Sofia met Epstein "on a few occasions" after newly surfaced emails appeared to link the royal to the late convicted sex offender.
The former model and reality TV starlet met the disgraced financier through her mentor, Swedish businesswoman Barbro Ehnbom, in 2005, according to emails published by the Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter and cited by People.
"The recent media reporting regarding Princess Sofia has given rise to speculation about the princess and her alleged relationship with Jeffrey Epstein," a spokesperson for the Royal Court of Sweden told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"The Royal Court has responded to questions from Dagens Nyheter about whether the Princess in her 20s was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein.
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"The Royal Court notes the significant media interest in this matter," the spokesperson shared.
"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 continued. "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 statement concluded.
Ehnbom reportedly wrote in a December 2005 email, "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?" The message included a photo.
Epstein reportedly replied, "I’m in the Caribbean. Does she want to come for a couple of days? I’ll send a ticket."
It’s believed that Epstein was inviting Sofia to Little Saint James, his privately owned island, where he was accused of sex trafficking minors.
The Swedish Royal Court told the outlet that Sofia was "introduced to the person in question on a few occasions around 2005." Officials also noted that Sofia did not accept the invitation to join Epstein in the Caribbean.
The outlet also published a 2006 email from Epstein’s assistant to Ehnbom that said, "Jeffrey wonders what really happened with Camilla. Did you tell her she has a ticket to New York anytime she wants?"
"I think he means Sofia, the little beautiful dark-haired girl who had her friend Camilla with her," Ehnbom reportedly replied. It was noted that Epstein offered both women spots at an acting school, but there were issues with their visas.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ehnbom for comment.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution. More than a decade later, in 2019, he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges involving minors. He died that year at age 66 while awaiting trial.
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"In the mid-2000s, Sofia was an aspiring actress and model trying to establish herself in New York," Matta previously told Fox News Digital.
"Unfortunately, Jeffrey Epstein’s social web touched nearly every corner of that world. Being introduced to him at that time doesn’t mean she was complicit in, or even aware of, what would later come to light about his crimes. If anything, young women like Sofia may well have been the ones being groomed, not the other way around."
"The kind of straightforward response we saw from Sweden is very characteristic of the Scandinavian monarchies," Matta said.
"They tend to favor calm, pragmatic damage control over the defensive or drawn-out approach we often see from the British royals. I doubt Sofia will face any formal repercussions unless more details emerge that shed light on actual misconduct, given how long ago this took place and how firmly she’s distanced herself from it."
As a model, Sofia famously posed topless with a boa constrictor for the Swedish men’s magazine Slitz. She went on to appear in the reality TV show "Paradise Hotel" in 2005.
According to multiple reports, Sofia met Prince Carl Philip, 46, the only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, at a Swedish nightclub through mutual friends in 2009. Their relationship became public in 2010.
The couple married in 2015 and launched the Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia Foundation, which raises awareness about the harmful effects of online bullying and hate speech.
Matta told Fox News Digital Sofia has dedicated herself to royal duties since joining the Swedish royal family.
"The Scandinavian monarchies tend to operate with greater transparency than some of their European counterparts, and Sofia's past before her marriage has always been a part of her story," said Matta.
"If anything, the fact that she addressed this perceived link to Epstein head-on may reinforce positive perceptions of her."