NEW YORK — Carole Radziwill, the former star of 'The Real Housewives of New York City,' has opened up about her past friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell following the recent unsealing of documents tied to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, the 62-year-old journalist and author described her shock upon learning of Maxwell's involvement in Epstein's sex trafficking scheme, emphasizing that their relationship was purely social and ended years before the scandals broke.
Radziwill, who was friends with Maxwell in the early 2000s for about five or six years, said the British socialite never gave any indication of her darker side during that time. 'Imagine knowing someone… and then they turn out to be, like, a monster,' Radziwill told the Times. She added, 'I was friends with her in the early 2000s, I don’t know, like, for five or six years.'
The renewed attention stems from a batch of Epstein-related documents released in recent months, which include contact lists, emails, and social references mentioning various high-profile figures. Radziwill's name appears in these files, alongside emails exchanged with Maxwell and messages the socialite sent about her to others, such as billionaire Ted Waitt, a donor to Bill Clinton, and Teresa DiFalco, Radziwill's sister-in-law and editor of her 2005 memoir, who died in 2021. According to the documents, Maxwell even photographed the author photo for Radziwill's book, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love.
Radziwill stressed that her connection to Epstein was indirect, stemming solely from her acquaintance with Maxwell. 'I never knew Jeffrey Epstein,' she said in the Times interview. She recalled attending a cocktail party at Maxwell's home where she saw Epstein but noted that her friend never introduced or mentioned him. The two women, who moved in overlapping New York and international social circles, bonded over shared interests in media and high society.
At the time of their friendship, Radziwill was establishing herself as a journalist and author after the 1999 death of her husband, Anthony Radziwill, a cousin of John F. Kennedy Jr. Maxwell, then known as a well-connected socialite with links to politics, royalty, and entertainment, once helped facilitate an introduction for Radziwill to Prince Andrew. Radziwill interviewed the prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after losing his royal title amid his own Epstein ties, for her 'Lunch Dates' column in Glamour magazine in the early 2000s.
'The thing about her that made it easy for me to spend any time with her at all was that she was very intelligent, she was educated,' Radziwill said of Maxwell. 'If you lined up 10 women, and you asked, like, pick the woman who would be involved in an international sex trafficking ring, it would not be her.' Radziwill and Maxwell attended events together, but Radziwill maintained that their relationship was not deeply personal and that she never witnessed or suspected any criminal activity.
The Epstein documents have cast a wide net, naming politicians, celebrities, and others with varying degrees of association, many of whom have no alleged wrongdoing. Legal experts have cautioned that mentions in the files—such as address books or casual correspondence—do not imply involvement in crimes. Radziwill's case exemplifies this, as her appearances are tied to social and professional exchanges rather than any illicit actions.
Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate, was convicted in December 2021 on charges of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to entice and transport minors for illegal sex acts. She was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in June 2022. Epstein himself died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
As the Epstein scandal unfolded in the years following his death, Radziwill distanced herself from Maxwell and has repeatedly described the association as a troubling reminder of how social proximity can lead to unforeseen connections. In her Times interview, she reflected on the emotional toll of the renewed scrutiny. 'Raziwill said the renewed spotlight has meant revisiting a chapter of her life she says she had long since closed,' according to the outlet.
Radziwill drew comfort from the wisdom of her late mother-in-law, Lee Radziwill, who died in 2019. Lee, a prominent socialite and sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, navigated fame and public misunderstanding throughout her life. 'She knew that part of being very, very public and very famous, like she was, was that people are going to misunderstand, and you had to be OK with that,' Radziwill recounted. 'And for a very, very long time, I was not OK with it, but now I am. It’s a really hard place to get to, but once you’re there, it’s, like, a peaceful feeling. You’re going to be misunderstood, and it’s OK.'
The release of these documents continues to ripple through the worlds of entertainment and journalism, forcing figures like Radziwill to address past relationships in a new light. While Radziwill has been clear about the platonic and limited nature of her ties to Maxwell, the association has nonetheless prompted questions about the elite social networks that Epstein and Maxwell exploited.
Broader context reveals how Epstein's web extended into powerful circles. His private island, Little St. James, and Manhattan townhouse were sites of alleged abuse, drawing in figures from royalty to business leaders. Prince Andrew, for instance, settled a civil lawsuit in 2022 with accuser Virginia Giuffre, who claimed Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to him when she was 17; Andrew has denied the allegations.
Radziwill, who left RHONY in 2018 after nine seasons, has since focused on writing and producing. Her comments echo those of other named individuals, such as actor Kevin Spacey and magician David Copperfield, who have appeared in the files but maintain they were unaware of Epstein's crimes. No charges have been filed against Radziwill or others mentioned in similar contexts.
Legal observers note that while the documents provide transparency, they also risk sensationalism. 'The files often reflect loose associations,' one expert told The New York Post in coverage of the releases. As more tranches are unsealed, the focus remains on holding accountable those directly involved, rather than tarnishing tangential connections.
Today, Radziwill expressed resolve to move forward despite the unwelcome revival of this chapter. Her story underscores the lingering impact of the Epstein saga, which has exposed vulnerabilities in high-society trust and prompted ongoing investigations into related networks. With Maxwell appealing her conviction from prison, the full scope of the scandal may yet unfold further.