Prince Andrew, the Queen's second son, has known Jeffrey Epstein for at least two decades and was photographed visiting him in New York after the disgraced financier had served a jail term for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Axar.az reports citing Sputnik.

Britain's Prince Andrew has called meeting Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 a “mistake”, while distancing himself from the crimes that the late wealth manager allegedly committed.

Epstein, the well-connected millionaire wealth fund manager, died in prison cell on 10 August in what authorities described as a suicide by hanging. He was awaiting trial on allegations of running a sex trafficking ring involving dozens of under-age girls.

In 2008, the New York financier struck a widely criticised plea deal that helped him avoid federal prosecution for sex-trafficking charges. He admitted lesser charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution and served a 13-month term, before being released from a Florida jail in 2010.