Before Princess Sofia became a princess by marrying Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip, she was Sofia Hellqvist, lad-mag model and reality star. She lived in New York briefly and she widely circulated in Europe, trying to get famous or get work. Well, in 2005, Sofia was in New York and one of her closest friends and mentors introduced her to… Jeffrey Epstein. I cannot believe this is all coming out now. Sofia would have been 20 years old at the time.
The Swedish Royal Court confirmed that Princess Sofia met Jeffrey Epstein after emails connecting them were revealed.
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, Swedish outlet Dagens Nyheter published emails between Epstein and financier Barbro Ehnbom, who has been described as a mentor to Sofia and attended her 2015 wedding to Prince Carl Philip, the son of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf. 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?”
Epstein reportedly replied, “I’m in the Caribbean. Does she want to come for a couple of days? I’ll send a ticket.”
The Swedish Royal Court confirmed to the outlet 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 court, Princess Sofia, now 41, did not accept the invitation 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 court told Dagens Nyheter.
The outlet also published a 2006 email from Epstein’s assistant to Ehnbom: “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,” adding that Epstein offered both women spots at an acting school, but there were issues with their visas.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Swedish Royal Court for comment.
Holy sh-t! I guess it’s not that much of a surprise, but I really didn’t think Sofia would be the one with a connection to Epstein. While they’re taking pains to say that Sofia never went to Epstein’s private island, the statement clearly confirms that Sofia met Epstein a few times. Probably in New York, just my guess. While Epstein preferred teenagers (ugh), he didn’t ban young women in their early 20s from his company. Around this time, he knew a lot of models around Sofia’s age. God, I hope Sofia wasn’t any part of that.
Also: Sofia skipped the Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden last night. Her husband attended though.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.
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- The wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O'Neill hosted by King Carl Gustaf XIV and Queen Silvia at The Royal Palace,Image: 334387020, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Only Available for publication in UK, Model Release: no, Pictured: Sofia Hellqvist, Credit line: WENN.com/Wenn/Avalon
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- Princess Sofia and Prince Julian of Sweden leave at the chapel of Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm, on August 14, 2021, after the baptism of Prince Julian Herbert Folke, born on 26-03-2021,Image: 627025518, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Netherlands OUT, Point De Vue OUT, Model Release: no, Credit line: Albert Nieboer / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- STOCKHOLM, 11-10-2022, Koninklijk Paleis/ Kungliga slottet Koning Willem Alexander en Koningin Maxima tijdens een staatsbezoek aan Zweden King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima during a state visit to Sweden. Op de foto / On the photo: Welkomstceremonie met Koningin Maxima en Koning Willem Alexander met Koning Carl XVI Gustafen Koningin Silvia. Aansluitend Fotomoment met Zweedse Koning en Koningin en aansluitend foto met Kroonprinselijk Paar en Prins Carl Philip en Prinses Sofia in de Reception Room Prinses Estelle met Prins Daniel en Prinses Victoria,Image: 730023488, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: (c) beschermde foto en verplichte volledige naamsvermelding tenzij anders voorafgaand overeengekomen of vermeld,geen gebruik zonder toestemming, alleen eenmalig gebruik, opslag in databank verboden, / Caption in file Info, Copyright marked, stricktly one t, Model Release: no, Credit line: NLBeeld/Avalon
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES ** Alvaden, SWEDEN – Princess Sofia attends the opening of the Alvdalen new school in Alvdalen, Sweden on Friday November 29, 2019. Pictured: Princess Sofia BACKGRID USA 29 NOVEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Stockholm, SWEDEN – On June 6, Swedish National Day festivities included the opening of the Royal Palace to the public, with Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, and their newborn daughter, Princess Ines, greeting visitors in Stockholm, marking a joyful occasion for the royal family and the Swedish people. Pictured: Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland, Princess Ines BACKGRID USA 6 JUNE 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Stockholm, SWEDEN – On June 6, Swedish National Day festivities included the opening of the Royal Palace to the public, with Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, and their newborn daughter, Princess Ines, greeting visitors in Stockholm, marking a joyful occasion for the royal family and the Swedish people. Pictured: Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland, Princess Ines BACKGRID USA 6 JUNE 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Swedish Royals arrive for a reception aboard the Danish royal yacht Dannebrog Featuring: Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia Where: Stockholm, Sweden When: 07 May 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Festivities for the Crown Princess her 47th birthday at Solliden Palace. Featuring: Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Prince Julian Where: Borgholm, Sweden When: 14 Jul 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
Epstein had his tentacles in almost every and all spheres of society and entertainment. He was fucking teacher! I wish he was alive to suffer for his crimes. I hope Sofia was never harmed by him.
She met JE “a few times” leaves a lot of room for speculation. Maybe they think having people speculate is preferable to giving details of the relationship. ATP, it would be easier to compile a list of people who never interacted with him in any way.
Ok she met him in New York with a friend a few times before everyone knew what he was and she declined his free ticket to his island. Sounds like Epstein had his tentacles in acting schools and with many models and tried to run in those circles so she was a model and went to the same places he went. Again she declined the free ticket to his island.
In the ninties and early 2000s, a lot of models (including most of the supermodels) dated super-wealthy men 15-plus years older than them. If you were around, you saw it on PageSix and then online (I started early).
You saw the beach weddings, or the out-of-wedlock kids these beautiful women were having with old, rich, white guys. I think pretty girls have always done this for access and financial security. Epstein liked them younger, but I think the bulk of the men around him wanted older (while still young), and he helped with that.
Everyone keeps saying Naomi Campbell was there! But she was there with her fiancé, Flavio Briatore (HE’S NEXT TO HER IN THE PHOTO!), who became Heidi Klum’s “baby daddy” a year later.
I remember Lainey saying that Hong Kong/China beauty pageants were fancy p–stituion rings. The modelling industry is very similar.
Princess Sofia seems nice, though.
Poor Sofia, she was only 20 so if she was approached it was because she was seen as a potential victim.
I hope the press will focus on those who committed the abuse and not instead focus on a witch hunt on women who most likely suffered abuse.
Some of Epstein victims were in their early 20s. So it’s not surprising that he would be interested in someone of Sofia’s age. He also surrounded himself with women who wanted to become models and people who worked in the modeling business so it’s not impossible that Sofia met him when she was in NY. She’s lucky that she didn’t become one of his victims.