The philanthropist daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating is back rubbing shoulders with New York’s elite, shrugging off being drawn into the Jeffrey Epstein saga.
Katherine Keating, 38, went into hiding in August after video emerged of her being shown out of the billionaire paedophile’s Manhattan unit by Prince Andrew in December 2010.
It is not suggested that Ms Keating was involved in, or had any knowledge of any improper or illegal conduct.
It’s believed Ms Keating’s links to Epstein and the Prince came after she began dating millionaire hotelier Andre Balazs shortly after moving to New York.
Unlike the Prince, who recently broke his silence in a disastrous TV interview that led to him stepping down from royal duties, Ms Keating is yet to comment on the intriguing footage of her leaving Epstein’s AUD$113million townhouse.
A close friend of Ms Keating told Daily Mail Australia that she hadn’t spoken at all about the Epstein controversy, not even with her inner circle.
‘Katherine being Katherine, if she wanted to say something she would, she’s that kind of person,’ the friend said.
‘We haven’t spoken about the photos or about Prince Andrew’s interview. I guess she just doesn’t want to and for that reason I haven’t raised it with her.’
But Ms Keating’s reluctance to speak has not stopped her from attending a string of fancy soires, mingling with top New York business people and Hollywood A-listers.
Katherine Keating is pictured with Joker director Todd Phillips at one of the fancy socialite parties she has attended in America over recent months in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein saga
Ms Keating was drawn into the Epstein saga in August after pictures emerged of her outside the billionaire businessman’s Manhattan townhouse in 2010
Ms Keating was identified as the mystery woman being farewelled by Prince Andrew at the door to Epstein’s apartment
One recent Instagram post showed her alongside the Joker director Todd Phillips at a Halloween party.
Covered in facepaint and dressed in a red suit similar to that seen in the film, she smiled as she stood with the man who also directed Borat and War Dogs.
Just days before the party she joined a host of Australian celebrities at the 40th birthday celebration of Gold Coast-born model Kristy Hinze.
Ms Hinze – who married 75-year-old billionaire James H Clark in 2009 – was joined at her swanky party by leading actresses Naomi Watts and Deborra-Lee Furness.
Also at the party were Australian-born socialites such as restaurant owner Lincoln Pilcher, whose mother Nancy was a long-time editor of Vogue Australia, photographer James Houston, and Andrew Stanway, founder of Mrs Sippy.
Mr Pilcher and Mr Houston, who like Ms Keating are Australian-born and American-made success stories, are among the close friends to regularly feature on Ms Keating’s Instagram.
Two weeks before the photos of Ms Keating and Prince Andrew at Epstein’s apartment made headlines in August this year, the troubled billionaire committed suicide inside his Manhattan jail cell.
Ms Keating and Prince Andrew are believed to have met at an exclusive party in Dubai nine months before photos of him waving her goodbye were taken.
Being linked to the paedophile has also come at a cost to Prince Andrew, who stood down from royal duties indefinitely on Wednesday night.
He was reportedly summoned to Buckingham Palace by his mother, the Queen, and brother Prince Charles, who told him he had become a distraction.
Ms Keating had made a name for herself in the U.S working for media company VICE before becoming chief sustainability and strategy officer for Maverick Management.
She was just nine when her father became Australian prime minister in 1996, after he’d already served as treasurer from 1983 to 1991 and delivered a range of economic reform, including floating the dollar.
Mr Keating’s status and prominence in Australia means it’s no surprise his second youngest daughter is comfortable in elite circles.
An attendee to the grand opening of the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March 2010 claimed Ms Keating was by Prince Andrew’s side on a number of occasions during the day.
Ms Keating (right) with restaurant owner Lincoln Pilcher (left), photographer James Houston (bottom) and Mrs Sippy founder Andrew Stanway (top)
Ms Keating poses for a photo with Los Angeles real estate agent and socialite Brian McGrory (left) at one of multiple 40th birthday celebrations for their friend Kristy Hinze
Ms Keating with her close friend and fellow Australian James Houston at the 40th birthday for model Kristy Hinze
Ms Keating (pictured) wore a red suit and face paint to look like the film’s main character
Ms Keating with Gold Coast-born model Kristy Hinze (left) and Hollywood executive Maya Faucher (centre)
‘They looked to be getting on very well and I saw her with him several times over the course of the weekend,’ a guest at the party told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘They appeared very friendly but it was clear she had only met him on that weekend.’
Ms Keating was unknown by many of the party’s international guests, but a number of high profile Australians recognised the daughter of Australia’s 24th prime minister.
‘A few of us made note of her, especially when she was getting along so well with Prince Andrew,’ the guest said.
Ms Keating moved to New York in 2010 and soon after struck up a romance with Epstein associate Balazs, who was 53 at the time.
Mr Balazs, a hotelier and socialite, was mentioned in Epstein’s infamous ‘black book’.
Ms Keating scored an invite to Epstein’s home in late-2010 through her links to Prince Andrew.
She was drawn into the scandal when pictures of her leaving the property surfaced in August.
As she walked out of the apartment and on to Ninth Avenue, she turned to receive a wave goodbye from the royal before heading on her way.
She was pictured again moments later standing on the sidewalk waiting for a taxi.
Two years before the photos were taken, Epstein had been convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl in Florida.
A fortnight before the photos surfaced this year, Epstein committed suicide inside a Manhattan prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Katherine Keating (right) with her sister Alexandra (left) and hotelier boyfriend Andre Balazs (centre) at the Australians in New York Fashion Foundation Party on July 27, 2010
Balazs (left) was an associate of Jeffrey Epstein (right) and is pictured with the billionaire’s top confidante Ghislaine Maxwell
Katherine Keating (far left) stands alongside Iceland President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (left), his wife Dorrit Moussaieff (centre), Ghislaine Maxwell (right) and Sharon Moussaieff (right) at a swanky New York party in 2013
Paul Keating (pictured) remained silent on the issue involving his daughter Katherine as he hastily left his office in August
The former Australian prime minister covered his face with a piece of white paper when media approached him for comment
Epstein had been arrested on July 6 this year and charged with arranging to have sex with dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida from 2002 to 2005.
One of his accusers, Australian woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre, alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and his confidant Ghislaine Maxwell to have sex with and provide erotic massages for politicians and affluent businessmen.
Ms Giuffre claimed in a May 2016 deposition that she was treated like a ‘sex slave’ by Epstein and Maxwell
She also claimed to have had sex with Prince Andrew, including one ‘orgy’, when she was just 17 years old.
Prince Andrew, the Queen’s middle son, was forced to step down from royal duties last week amid mounting pressure over his links to Epstein.
An ongoing FBI probe into Epstein’s alleged crimes is expected to focus on a party at the billionaire’s Manhattan townhouse in December 2010.
While Prince Andrew has claimed he ‘never saw’ anything there which aroused his suspicions, nine other people who were there during his stay could corroborate or disprove his account.
It is not yet clear whether Ms Keating – who is one of those people – will be asked to talk to the FBI.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Keating for comment.
Ms Keating (pictured) currently works as chief sustainability and strategy officer for Maverick Management