Newly disclosed legal documents and court statements have confirmed that Princess Sofia of Sweden—then known as Sofia Hellqvist—met disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions around 2005, when she was approximately 20 years old and pursuing a career as a model and aspiring actress in New York.
The revelations emerge from ongoing U.S. legal proceedings related to Epstein’s vast network of associates and donors, and follow reports first published by Dagens Nyheter (DN) and SVT, which cited leaked investigative materials. These documents include email correspondence from a prominent Swedish financier—whose identity has not been officially confirmed but is widely reported in Swedish media—who appears to have played a facilitating role in introducing young Swedish women to Epstein.
“The Girl I Told You About”
According to the leaked documents, in December 2005, the financier sent Epstein a photograph of Sofia Hellqvist with the message:
“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 leave for Christmas?”
t the time, Hellqvist had recently arrived in New York and was exploring opportunities in fashion and media. She would later return to Sweden, shift careers, and eventually marry Prince Carl Philip in 2015, becoming a member of the Swedish Royal Family.
In response to media inquiries, Sweden’s Royal Court issued a brief but definitive statement:
“Princess Sofia has met the person in question on a few occasions about 20 years ago. Since then, there has been no contact. The Court declines an interview.”
Denials and Ambiguities from the Financier
The Swedish financier referenced in the documents has publicly denied acting as an intermediary between Epstein and Princess Sofia. In comments to DN, she stated:
“If she [Princess Sofia] was ever there, she was probably the youngest, because otherwise it was only successful female entrepreneurs between 35 and 45 years old. So, nothing is true, but I have to keep that to myself. There is absolutely no new garbage here.”
However, earlier reporting by ETC and other outlets indicates that this same financier had received financial support from Epstein for her business ventures and had previously attempted to connect him with other Swedish women through her professional network—an arrangement that has raised ethical and legal questions in light of Epstein’s well-documented pattern of exploiting young women under the guise of mentorship and career opportunities.
Contextualising the Timeline
Epstein’s criminal activities spanned decades, with his first known conviction occurring in 2008 (a controversial plea deal), and renewed global scrutiny following his 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. He died by suicide in a New York jail cell weeks later while awaiting trial. Since then, courts and investigative journalists have worked to unravel his extensive web of high-profile connections.
The timing of Princess Sofia’s brief association—circa 2005—predates Epstein’s public notoriety. At that point, he was still widely perceived as a billionaire financier with powerful social and political ties, and not yet as the convicted sex offender he would later become.
Royal Family’s Broader Position on Controversial Ties
While the Swedish Royal Family has long maintained a policy of discretion regarding private matters, this revelation underscores the complexities faced by public figures who—often unknowingly—cross paths with individuals later implicated in serious crimes. Notably, other European royals, including Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom, have faced far more direct and damaging associations with Epstein, leading to reputational crises and official distancing.
In Princess Sofia’s case, the Royal Court’s statement emphasizes the brevity and remoteness of the contact, suggesting no ongoing relationship or awareness of Epstein’s activities at the time.
What This Means for Sweden and Nordic Elites
This development also highlights a broader, underreported trend: Epstein’s outreach extended well beyond American and British elites to include Scandinavian business and social circles. Financial records and testimony reviewed by Nordic media suggest that Epstein cultivated relationships with Nordic entrepreneurs, particularly women in finance and media, potentially as part of his strategy to project legitimacy and access new networks.
Legal experts consulted by the Nordic Business Journal note that while mere association with Epstein does not imply complicity, the ethical responsibility of those who facilitated introductions—especially to vulnerable young women—is now under renewed scrutiny, particularly in jurisdictions like Sweden, where gender equality and safeguarding are central public values.
Looking Ahead
As U.S. courts continue to unseal documents from the Epstein case into 2026—following a January 2024 ruling mandating greater transparency—it is likely that additional Nordic links will surface. The Swedish government, for its part, has not launched a formal inquiry, but civil society groups have called for greater transparency regarding any financial or institutional ties between Epstein’s network and Swedish entities.
For now, Princess Sofia remains focused on her royal duties and charitable work, particularly in mental health and child welfare—causes that stand in stark contrast to the exploitation Epstein enabled. The Royal Court continues to maintain that her brief, two-decade-old encounters were incidental and without consequence.
Additional Context (December 2025 Update):
In November 2025, a U.S. federal judge ordered the release of over 2,000 pages of previously redacted depositions and contact logs from the Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell litigation. While no new direct references to Princess Sofia have emerged in the latest batch, the documents do further detail Epstein’s recruitment tactics involving European models and actresses in the early 2000s—reinforcing the plausibility of introductory meetings like the one described in the 2005 email.
The Nordic Business Journal will continue to monitor developments and assess their implications for Nordic public figures, business leaders, and institutions.