Secretive German consultant David Stern emerges at the centre of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein relationship scandal in London court document revelations

For years, the spotlight has fallen squarely on Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein whenever their controversial friendship resurfaces.

But buried deep in the latest tranche of court-released documents is the name of a man few outside elite business and royal circles had ever heard of: David Stern.

The 48-year-old German business consultant, who maintains an almost ghost-like online presence, appears thousands of times in newly disclosed Epstein files – 7,461 references in total.

That’s not a casual cameo. It places him squarely at the operational heart of Andrew and Epstein’s relationship.

Photographs show Stern alongside Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, reinforcing what the documents suggest: he wasn’t just a business middleman.

He was embedded in their orbit.

The Go-Between Who Called Epstein ‘Boss’

Emails reveal Stern acting as a conduit between Andrew and Epstein, shuttling messages about potential business ventures and meetings.

In several exchanges, Stern refers to Epstein simply as “boss” — a detail that hints at a hierarchical dynamic, at least professionally.

This wasn’t limited to spreadsheets and handshake deals.

Stern’s role blurred into the personal.

In one 2013 exchange, Epstein asked him to arrange a dinner meeting in London between Andrew and a “very beautiful friend.”

The tone of the message was casual, almost flippant, suggesting this sort of request was not unusual.

By 2014, Stern was sending Epstein provocative birthday greetings — including a photograph of champagne being poured over a naked woman — before adding later that day: “PA sends his birthday wishes and love.”

The shorthand “PA” for Prince Andrew was evidently routine in their communications.

Looking After Epstein’s Inner Circle

Stern’s responsibilities stretched even further.

In 2016, he was tasked with assisting Karyna Shuliak, Epstein’s then 26-year-old Belarusian girlfriend, during a visit to London.

Emails show Stern coordinating arrangements for her and another young woman, describing them as first-time visitors to the British capital.

The trip reportedly included a visit to Buckingham Palace — a detail likely to raise eyebrows given the scrutiny surrounding Andrew’s judgment and associations at the time.

It’s worth remembering that by 2015 and 2016, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender in the United States, having served time following a controversial plea deal in Florida in 2008.

Despite this, his connections to powerful figures in politics, academia and royalty persisted.

From Royal Ventures to Palace Dinners

Stern’s integration into royal-adjacent life didn’t stop at facilitating introductions.

Andrew appointed him a director of Pitch@Palace, the Duke’s Dragons’ Den-style initiative designed to connect entrepreneurs with investors.

The project, launched in 2014, was marketed as a vehicle for innovation and global business growth.

Stern’s inclusion as a director suggests a high degree of trust.

He was even introduced to Queen Elizabeth II, seated beside her at an event at St James’s Palace — a remarkable position for someone with such a low public profile.

Stern also accompanied Andrew on trade envoy trips to Asia, at a time when the Duke was officially representing the UK government’s commercial interests abroad.

Those visits were intended to boost British business ties, but hindsight has cast a long shadow over the company he kept.

Additionally, Stern secured a seat on the board of the St George’s House Trust, a charity founded by Prince Philip.

That appointment further cemented his place within establishment networks.

A Link to Sarah Ferguson

The Duchess of York appears repeatedly in Stern’s professional dealings.

Emails indicate he explored brokering a deal for her to become a paid ambassador for Cunard, the historic British cruise line.

Although it’s unclear whether the arrangement materialised, the effort underscores Stern’s role as a fixer operating at the intersection of royalty and commerce.

Ferguson herself has long maintained that she had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities, though her financial difficulties in the early 2010s were widely reported.

She once publicly thanked Epstein for helping resolve a debt issue — a detail that resurfaced during renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s ties.

The Bigger Picture

Stern’s prominence in the documents reinforces how Epstein operated: through networks of facilitators who moved seamlessly between elite social circles and high-value business discussions.

After Epstein’s arrest in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges — and his subsequent death in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York — attention intensified around those who enabled or maintained relationships with him.

Andrew’s disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview only deepened the crisis, ultimately leading him to step back from public duties.

While Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing and settled a civil lawsuit in the US without admitting liability, the reputational damage has proven lasting.

The emergence of Stern’s extensive communications adds another layer to an already complex web of associations.

What’s next?

The release of additional Epstein-related documents is expected to continue in phases, meaning further details about intermediaries like Stern could surface.

Legal experts suggest that while many of these disclosures are reputational rather than criminal in implication, they keep public and media scrutiny firmly focused on those who maintained ties with Epstein after his 2008 conviction.

For Andrew, who no longer holds official royal duties, any fresh revelations risk reopening wounds the Palace has tried to close.

For Stern, whose low profile has shielded him until now, sustained media attention may prove harder to avoid.

Summary

David Stern, a little-known German consultant, emerges from newly released Epstein files as a central intermediary between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein.

Referenced thousands of times, he passed messages, facilitated meetings, assisted Epstein’s girlfriend during UK visits, and held positions within royal-linked ventures and charities.

His connections extended to Sarah Ferguson and key royal institutions.

While no criminal allegations against Stern are outlined in the documents, his prominent role deepens questions about how Epstein’s network operated — and why ties to him endured long after his conviction.