Carole Radziwill is speaking out after her name appeared in the trove of files released by the Department of Justice regarding the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The author and "Real Housewives of New York City" star, who rejoined the series for its upcoming Season 16 after stepping away in 2018, addressed the documents during a Bravo press event held at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York, on Sept. 1.

Radziwill on the Epstein Files

At the event, Radziwill was asked by Bravo's Andy Cohen about her return to the franchise. Cohen recalled a conversation with Radziwill in which she said that rejoining the show felt like an "opportunity" after her name appeared in the Epstein files.

"I mean, I felt like this isn't something I shy away from," she said. "Me and many, many, many, many more people found their names in these files. And it's not something I shy away from because I think, really, it's important to talk about it. It's important to be transparent. Obviously, I didn't know anything, as no one, you know, 20 years ago would have known anything."

Radziwill, a former TV news producer who was married to John F. Kennedy 's cousin and best friend, the late Anthony Radziwill, has said she did not know Epstein. In a March interview with The New York Times, Radziwill said she was friends with Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted co-conspirator of Epstein, in the early 2000s for "five or six years." Maxwell did not speak to her about Epstein, she told the Times.

"It's hard to think that someone you knew that long ago, even called a friend at some point, was a horrible, horrible person doing horrible things," Radziwill said at the Sept. 1 event. The release of the files made her nervous at first, she said, but later she saw it as an opportunity to talk about it.

"There (are) real victims and survivors that were brave enough to really stand up to these very, very powerful people," she said.

Radziwill's connection to the Epstein files was also brought up in the trailer for the upcoming season of RHONY, and she says it's an important topic to discuss. In a video shared by Vulture during a RHONY cast Q&A hosted by Andy Cohen on Tuesday, she reiterated her stance: "Me and many, many, many more people found our names in these files, and it's not something I shy away from because I think really it's important to talk about it. It's important to be transparent."

Return to RHONY

Radziwill is returning to the RHONY cast after previously starring on the series from season five through 10. It had previously been reported that she would be returning to the show for season 16, but only in a reduced status; however, she has regained her "Apple," making her a full-time Housewife.

RHONY will debut its 16th season on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 8 m. on Bravo. The new season arrives a little over a year after the second season of the reboot (season 15) concluded in February 2025.