PRINCE Andrew enjoyed a close friendship with a neurosurgeon who worked as his paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein’s science adviser.
The Duke of York, 60, enjoyed dinners with Dr Melanie Walker, 48, who he playfully branded a “dork” and “smarty pants”.
They became so close that American Melanie attended the “Dance of the Decades” party at Windsor Castle in 2000 — hosted by the Queen to mark four royal birthdays, including Andrew’s 40th.
Also, there were billionaire Epstein and his alleged pimp Ghislaine Maxwell, 58. A source said last night: “This opens up more questions about Andrew’s links to Epstein. He has to be more forthcoming.”
Melanie met Epstein in 1992. He said he could get her an audition for a Victoria’s Secret modelling job and she went to stay in a New York apartment building he owned.
When she graduated, he hired her part-time as his foundation’s science adviser, from 1998 to 1999.
Andrew first met Texas-born Melanie in New York in 1999 — the same year he met Epstein. The brain and nervous system specialist praised the Duke in a 2003 interview.
Melanie, who lives with ex Microsoft exec Steven Sinofsky, insisted they were just friends who chatted “mostly about science and medicine” and kept in touch via email.
She added: “He calls me Mel and addresses me ‘Hey Dork’ or ‘smarty pants’.” Melanie declined to comment to HOAR.
Epstein killed himself last year while awaiting trial on charges of trafficking young women for sex. One, Virginia Roberts, claims she was forced to sleep with Prince Andrew three times as a teen.
He has strongly denied having any contact with Virginia.
