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.
Epstein was everywhere. In everything. He was a mover and a shaker and incredibly well connected. It would make sense that a up and coming or aspiring model / actress would want to meet with him. And as we have seen time and time again, girls and young women are fed to the machine and to monsters after being reassured by people that they trusted that everything is and would be fine.
If you asked me who I all met when I was 20 – there ain’t no way I would be able to tell you. I was a bit of an It girl and I met a ton of people. Had restauranteurs wine and dine me and I always just bounced afterwards. Food doesn’t equate to me owing them anything. And I turned down tons of people with bad vibes. But lord knows I have no idea who I all met.
Considering that was in one city and she was moving through Europe and the US – I can’t imagine the number of people she met.
yeah, Epstein cast a large net to try to lure victims. I’m not surprised that he was kept in the loop on aspiring actresses/models, especially foreign ones in the US (thinking they may have had less protections if there were potentially visa issues etc.)
i don’t like how this story is being spun even slightly to make it seem like Sofia was sketchy or was a prostitute etc. If she was being pursued by Epstein it was as a victim.
I’m sorry she met Epstein, no one deserved that. But Sofia’s actions after marrying Prince Carl Philip have been Camilla-esque. Before marriage in the media Sofia was perceived as a cheap reality star with a colorful past, maybe yachting, not suitable for the only son of the king and a hot one at that. No judgment here. After marriage however she made deals with the tabloids to trade negative stories about Carl’s sister Madeline so that they would leave Sofia’s past alone and she could rehab her image. I’ve read “Sofia bullying Madeline” stories for years now. (My mother’s parents were born and raised there, my mom inherited a house there.)
It doesn’t help that the chauvinist King favors his son over his heir, Crown Princess Victoria, a daughter who was subjected to a lot at home. I’m sorry Sofia ever had to meet Epstein, truly, but I also hate the internecine battles going on in that family.
This isn’t true at all. Sofia has never bullied Madeleine. She’s someone who has learned her role and does it perfectly, she doesn’t complain and she takes care of her young family. To be honest, it was Madeleine’s acquaintances, especially during the engagement years, who went around happily saying in the tabloids about how Madeleine couldn’t stand her and how she snubbed her. Sofia swallowed a lot of bitterness without ever complaining, and in my opinion, she even put up with too much
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.
Yeah, it would take less effort to compile a list of rich, powerful, connected, untouchable people who were NOT associated with JEpstein. He is bloody Queen Victoria, or Typhoid Mary, or both. #theEpsteinclass
Amen. I’ve read before how Epstein cultivated and interacted with powerful men and admired intellectuals. That impression, of somebody specifically choosing and cultivating certain relationships, has been reinforced while reading Virginia Giuffre’s book ‘Nobody’s Girl.’ She says Ghislaine Maxwell was the same, “Maxwell was proud of her friendships with famous people, especially men.” I truly don’t understand the latest howls re: Princess Sofia, when Epstein and ‘G-Max’ attended parties hosted by Heidi Klum, Trump, etc.
The court has now specified that she only ever met him restaurants/premieres.
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.
Years ago I followed a blog that covered all things royal. I dont recall the name but the blog changed hands over the years and eventually petered out. The original blogger wrote about Sofia’s colorful past which made for interesting reading.
@Beech
Would you be referring to LoveLolaHeart?
That is the one I was thinking of.
Yes, that’s the one, thank you!
A woman can have a colorful past and still be a victim of abuse. Let’s not start with the slut shamig.
Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t see what is so scandalous. A lot of people met/associated with Epstein in the 90’s/‘00’s. It doesn’t mean they could only be a criminal or victim. Unless there’s more, these emails don’t even make Sophia look bad.
Same, he tried to make her another of his victims and she hopefully avoided the worst of that.
Maybe more on what her ‘mentor’ was trying to achieve/deliver here?
The scandalous thing here is Barbro Ehnbom, who kept contact with and taking money from Epstein long after he had first been convicted. She has previously denied knowing about that but in the mails that has come out now, she was talking to him about legal issues and experts in 2008.
Wow. Didn’t know when we used a financial advisor that we all needed to be cognizant of that advisor’s many contacts and all of their sources of income to avoid being tainted with the scandal brush.
I don’t see that Sofia did anything wrong. She was young, newly in the US, working as a model & being introduced by Ehnbom many of his other financier pals, including Epstein.
So she met him a few times – at parties? Bfd. Epstein had a huge social circle. Probably 100s of women met Epstein 20+ years ago before people knew what a creep he was.
This will blow over. Mette Marit, CPss of Norway, was around him a TON, all while she was an actual princess.
Personally, I’m not surprised that Sofia found herself in his orbit… her life at the time ticks all the boxes
There’s a former high fashion model named Sara Ziff who’s now a labor activist for models and garment workers–she started the Model Alliance which works to end financial and sexual abuse of models, improve working conditions, and succeeded in lobbying to create legal protections for child models in New York. She has an interesting documentary about her experience in the 2000s on the high fashion circuit called Picture Me that’s worth a watch.
Anyway, she talks about meeting Epstein at a party or model event back in 2002, 2003, the time when he was everywhere and at the height of his power. She was a model, but she had highly educated and successful parents (a professor and a lawyer if I recall), and while he showed mild interest in her, he backed off pretty quickly because he sessed out pretty quickly that she came from privilege. He deliberately sought out the young poor and foreign young girls–he knew their lack of power would make them easy prey. She saw a lot of really terrible stuff in her arguably successful career–she had major campaigns for the top brands we all know and did all the NY, Milan, and Paris runways we all know. Her documentary shows all the sleazy photographers trying to take pictures of the models while they’re undressed. Her friends tell stories about being assaulted by big time photographers when they were underage–the massive amounts of debt the girls owed to their agencies, making them indentured servants. She experienced SA herself.
If you were a young model in the 2000s and you had any degree of success, that means you were in the presence of major, major slimeballs. Every single supermodel. Every Victoria’s Secret Angel. If it wasn’t Epstein, it was someone else equally as bad. There’s a huge difference between people like Sarah Fergusen (and maybe Mette Marit) who took money or favors from Epstein, knowing what kind of shit he did, and people like Princess Sofia and the models who encountered these guys because they were everywhere, like bedbugs, and it took serious vigilence to keep them away and for the women to keep themselves safe.
Thanks for the recommendation I will definitely watch. It’s a little frustrating how no one is talking about the social scene and work conditions that allowed Epstein and his ilk to florish
If only we were getting slow drips about the MEN in Epstein’s circles…
Sorry … this sounds more like Sofia was an Epstein victim!