Newly released emails show that Prince Andrew contacted convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in March 2011, months after he claimed to have severed all ties. The correspondence, obtained by a US congressional committee, reveals the then-prince instructed Epstein to ensure a strong denial of sexual assault allegations was sent to a British tabloid.
The email, sent from an address titled 'The Duke', was in response to questions from The Mail on Sunday about allegations that Prince Andrew had sex with Virginia Roberts Giuffre in 2001. In the message, Prince Andrew wrote: 'Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations.' Epstein replied hours later, saying he had asked Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers to send a letter.
The exchange contradicts Prince Andrew's 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, where he said he had broken off contact with Epstein after a walk in New York's Central Park in December 2010. He told journalist Emily Maitlis: 'By mutual agreement during that walk in the park, we decided that we would part company, and I left. To this day I never had any contact with him from that day forward.'
Other evidence has emerged contradicting his claims. Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed another email from February 2011 where Prince Andrew told Epstein they were 'in this together' and hoped to 'play some more soon'. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, also continued contact with Epstein in 2011, calling him a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend'.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied meeting Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year. A civil settlement between her and Prince Andrew was finalized in 2022. Late last month, King Charles stripped his brother of his prince title and ordered him to leave the royal lodge.
