Katherine Keating, daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, has spoken out about her brief encounter with Jeffrey Epstein’s social circle during a February 2011 dinner hosted by Prince Andrew.
Now 44, Keating confirmed she attended the event in New York City, describing it as a “large social event” that included prominent figures such as Barbara Walters, Charlie Rose, and Katie Couric.
“At the time, I had only lived in New York about ten weeks, and was happy to accept the odd social invitation,” Keating told Daily Mail on Sunday. She stressed there is no suggestion she was aware of or involved in Epstein’s criminal activities.
Keating, who moved to Manhattan with her sister Alexandra, became briefly part of New York high society, including dating hotel mogul Andrew Balazs, who is 24 years her senior.
Her name recently resurfaced in discussions around the US Congress’ review of the Epstein Files, showing how even fleeting social interactions with Epstein’s circle can be scrutinized decades later. Keating reiterated that her involvement was purely social.
Before the Epstein scandal drew worldwide attention, Keating covered New York socialites, including Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend who later became infamous for recruiting underage girls.
In 2014, Keating hosted a YouTube interview series called One On One for HuffPost, featuring Maxwell. Keating had described her in the series as:
“A British philanthropist and the founder of the TerraMar Project, a non-profit organisation dedicated to building a global community that will advocate for the world’s oceans and high seas.”
Keating’s comments provide clarity on her fleeting connection to Epstein’s circle, emphasizing her presence at high-profile social events was innocent and unrelated to criminal activities.
