Since the arrest of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein last month, the whereabouts of his former girlfriend and alleged accomplice, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, has been the subject of intense scrutiny.

But in a photograph published on Thursday, Miss Maxwell appears relaxed and apparently happy to pose at a burger chain in the Hollywood Hills.

What led America’s most watched woman, who has not been photographed in public since 2016, to appear at one of the most recognisable places in one of the most photographed cities in the world?

The emergence of the picture, reportedly taken on Monday afternoon, has led to speculation that Miss Maxwell may be planting appearances to avoid public scrutiny. Fittingly, she was reportedly reading a book on the "secret lives" of CIA operatives. Once spotted, Miss Maxwell then reportedly told an onlooker: "Well, I guess this is the last time I’ll be eating here".

The spotlight on the 57-year-old intensified last week when unsealed court documents revealed she was accused of playing a key role in procuring young girls for Epstein. Miss Maxwell has never been charged with any crime, and has always denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s sexual abuses.