Portrait of man repeatedly mentioned in Epstein files to remain in Royal Castle in Co. Down

Hillsborough Castle is the official residence for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and also the official residence of the Royal family when they visit the north.

The portrait is on display in Grey’s study, a room which currently holds the Good Friday Agreement.

BBC Northern Ireland today reported that there are no plans to move a portrait of Mitchell from Hillsborough Castle.

Meetings and talks were often held in the room during the peace process, and there are a number of portraits in the room of key figures during the agreement.

George Mitchell once described his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as a "blessing", in Epstein's "birthday book".

The letter was written in 2003, several years before Epstein's prosecution in Florida.

The Epstein files appeared to show that Mitchell and Epstein corresponded via email between 2010 and 2013 after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Epstein wrote that Mr. Mitchell was “my very close friend.”

Virginia Giuffre, the most well-known Epstein victim said in a 2016 deposition that Epstein kept her as a “sex slave”.

Giuffre stated that Epstein offered her to a group of powerful men for erotic massages and sex, including Mitchell, former Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson, Britain’s former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and billionaire Glenn Dubin. All the men said her account was fabricated.

Giuffre died by suicide last year.

“The allegation contained in the released documents is false,” Mitchell said in 2019.

“I have never met, spoken with or had any contact with Ms. Giuffre. In my contacts with Mr. Epstein, I never observed or suspected any inappropriate conduct with underage girls. I only learned of his actions when they were reported in the media related to his prosecution in Florida. We have had no further contact.”

After the release of files related to Epstein, a number of institutions cut ties with Mitchell. 

Queen’s University Belfast removed a bust of him from its campus, while the US-Ireland Alliance removed Mitchell’s name from its scholarship programme.

At the time, a spokesperson for Queen's told BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme: “While no findings of wrongdoing by Senator Mitchell have been made, the university has concluded that, in light of this material, and mindful of the experiences of victims and survivors, it is no longer appropriate for its institutional spaces and entities to continue to bear his name.”

A spokesperson for Mitchell previously told the BBC: “Senator Mitchell profoundly regrets ever having known Jeffrey Epstein and condemns, without reservation, the horrific harm Epstein inflicted on so many women.”

They also said Mitchell did not at any time observe, suspect or have any knowledge of Epstein engaging in “illegal or inappropriate conduct with underage women”, nor did he meet, speak to or have any contact with any underage women.