New Jeffrey Epstein files have been released this week and some show email exchanges allegedly involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew.
Last month, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew, 65, would lose his royal titles and other honours. This included his prince title and HRH style.
The decision came as Andrew faced continued scrutiny surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Epstein, and allegations of sexual assault from the late Virginia Giuffre. Andrew has always denied Ms Giuffre’s accusations.
Now, newly released files have emerged and it seems Epstein confirmed that Andrew did have a photo taken with Ms Giuffre, something the former duke previously said he had no memory of.
New Jeffrey Epstein files released
In his BBC Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew said that he didn’t recall ever meeting Ms Giuffre. He also said he had “no recollection” of an image showing them together in 2001 “ever being taken”.
The image showed the former prince with his arm around Ms Giuffre, allegedly taken in Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell’s London home. It first emerged in the Mail on Sunday in 2011.
In October of this year, Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoir was released months after she took her own life in April. She repeated her allegations that she was made to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17 after being trafficked by Epstein.
Andrew has always vehemently denied these allegations.
This week, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released 20,000 pages of documents received from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein took his own life in prison in August 2019.
Among the documents released were email exchanges.
‘I can’t take any more of this my end’
In March 2011, Maxwell appeared to have forwarded a right-of-reply email from the Mail on Sunday to Epstein over Ms Giuffre’s allegations.
The message appeared to have then been forwarded by Epstein to Andrew, via redacted email address marked “The Duke”.
As reported by the BBC, Andrew’s reply reads: “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. I can’t take any more of this my end.”
The Mail on Sunday went on to publish the photo showing Andrew and Ms Giuffre alongside her allegations.
‘Yes she had her picture taken with Andrew’
The released documents also show Epstein’s alleged attempts to discredit Ms Giuffre’s claims.
In a July 2011 email to his publicist, Epstein wrote: “The girl who accused Prince Andrew can also easily be proven to be a liar. I think Buckingham Palace would love it.
“You should task someone to investigate the girl Virginia Roberts, that has caused the Queen’s son all this agro [sic]. I promise you she is a fraud. You and I will be able to go to ascot (sic) for the rest of our lives.”
In another email exchange at the time, Epstein also appeared to confirm Ms Giuffre “had her picture taken with Andrew”.
The email read: “Yes she [Ms Giuffre] was on my plane and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew.”
What has Andrew said about the photo?
Andrew addressed the photo in his Newsnight interview.
He said he had “no memory” of the photograph ever being taken. He also suggested it could have been doctored.
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Reps for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have been approached for comment.
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