Mandelson called Epstein his ‘best pal’ in birthday message
Lord Mandelson called the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein his “best pal”, according to a letter in an alleged “birthday book” that has been released by US lawmakers.
In the message for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, Lord Mandelson – the UK’s ambassador to the US since last year – describes him as an “intelligent, sharp-witted man” who “parachuted” into his life.
The existence of the letter from Lord Mandelson was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, when the newspaper published details of the alleged birthday note.
An official spokesperson for Lord Mandelson told the BBC that he “has long been clear that he very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein”.
In a briefing for journalists, a Downing Street spokesperson said that the prime minister still has confidence in Lord Mandelson and said he has “played a key part” strengthening trade and investment with the US, which had secured jobs in the UK.
Democrats in Congress released copies of the so-called “birthday book” after the documents were subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee last month.
The documents also include a note featuring a drawing of a woman’s body allegedly signed by US President Donald Trump. The White House on Monday denied its authenticity and said the president “did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it”.
The “birthday book” was put together by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s British co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend, who was convicted in 2021 of conspiring to traffic girls for sex. It is dated three years before allegations of sex abuse by Epstein became public in 2006.
When approached by the BBC, Lord Mandelson’s spokesperson said that his connection to Epstein “has been a matter of public record for some time”.
The spokesperson also referred to previous comments he made to the Financial Times, in which he said: “I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner Ghislaine Maxwell.”
When asked whether the prime minister knew about the nature of the ambassador’s relationship with Epstein, the spokesperson said that Lord Mandelson had previously addressed the issue and that his “comments have been a matter of public record for some time”.
They added that the government is “focused on building a relationship with the United States” and was looking ahead to President’ Trump’s state visit next week.
The BBC has also approached the Foreign Office for comment.
A 2019 internal report by the bank JP Morgan, filed to a New York court in 2023, said that Epstein kept a “particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British government”.
In the “birthday book” letter, the former Labour cabinet minister wrote a series of short messages, each accompanied by a photograph. His entries covered 10 pages in total.
“Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call ‘mysterious’ parachuted into my life,” he wrote alongside a photo of a yellow parachute gliding through the air.
“You would spend many hours just waiting for him to turn up,” he said, alongside a picture of what appears to be Lord Mandelson looking out at a garden from a balcony.
“And often, no sooner were you getting used to having him around, you would suddenly be alone… again,” he added above a picture of a lone person canoeing in the sea at sunset.
“Leaving you with some ‘interesting’ friends to entertain instead,” he writes on the next page, with a photo of Lord Mandelson preparing a dining table with two women whose faces have been obscured.
Lord Mandelson goes on to write that Epstein was known for “taking you by surprise… in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)”, alongside a single malt whiskey label and a picture of a tropical island.
On the next page, accompanied by a picture of the two chatting casually on a patio, he writes: “But whenever he is in the world, he remains my best pal!”
“Happy Birthday, Jeffrey. We love you!!” Lord Mandelson finishes his entry with.
Along with the book, US lawmakers also released a trove of documents that include Epstein’s personal address book and his will.
After the Wall Street Journal first reported on the existence of the “birthday book”, Trump filed a lawsuit against the newspaper’s reporters, publisher and executives, including News Corp’s owner Rupert Murdoch, seeking $10bn (£7.4bn) in damages.
Epstein was first criminally indicted in 2006 in Florida on a state felony charge of solicitation of prostitution. He died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.
