A new email revelation involving Prince Andrew and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has cast doubt on the Duke of York's previous statements about their relationship.
According to Daily Mail, Prince Andrew sent an email to Epstein in February 2011 promising to "keep in close touch and play more soon," weeks after claiming he had ceased all contact with the American financier.
The bombshell email directly contradicts Prince Andrew's statements during his infamous 2019 Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis at Buckingham Palace. In that interview, the Duke insisted he had completely cut ties with Epstein in December 2010 following their last meeting in New York's Central Park.
The controversial emails surfaced through legal filings connected to former Barclays Bank boss Jes Staley's appeal against sanctions from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The regulatory body had imposed a £1.8 million fine and ban on Staley over allegedly misleading statements about his close friendship with Epstein.
The correspondence between Prince Andrew and Epstein was included in evidence presented by the FCA to demonstrate the nature of various relationships in Epstein's circle.
Earlier communications from June 2010 show Epstein requesting Prince Andrew to show Staley around, to which the Duke responded by mentioning a dinner arrangement with Staley at Harry's Bar in Mayfair. These interactions occurred shortly after Epstein's release from prison in the United States.
Marijke Chartouni, one of Epstein's victims, provided her perspective on the revelations, stating:
This solidifies the fact that Andrew has selective amnesia when it comes to his friendship with Epstein, just like other powerful men who knew him.
The email discovery adds another layer of complexity to Prince Andrew's already troubled public image. The 64-year-old royal was previously forced to step back from official duties following the fallout from the Epstein scandal and subsequent legal settlement with Virginia Giuffre in 2022, reportedly for £12 million.
The timing of this revelation coincides with other challenges facing the royal family, including a recent Chinese spy scandal that has caused concern within both government and palace circles. The situation has grown more complicated with news that an aide to the Duke told an alleged Chinese spy that the Newsnight interview had been "hugely ill-advised."
Adding to the mounting pressure, Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, has pledged to investigate Epstein's network more thoroughly if confirmed. Patel has committed to exposing the records of those who flew on Epstein's private jet and were involved in his international trafficking operations.
The email discovery comes at a critical time when Prince Andrew's credibility is already under intense scrutiny. Florida lawyer Spencer Kuvin, who represents several Epstein victims, emphasized the significance of the 2011 email, pointing out that it clearly contradicts the Duke's previous claims about ending contact with Epstein in 2010.
The controversy has sparked renewed calls for further investigation into Prince Andrew's connections with Epstein. While there is no suggestion that the Duke was complicit in Epstein's crimes, his continued association with the convicted sex offender after his initial release from prison has raised serious questions about his judgment and truthfulness.
Prince Andrew's latest email controversy has sparked fresh debate about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his public statements. The February 2011 communication, discovered in legal filings related to former Barclays CEO Jes Staley's case, directly contradicts the Duke's claim of cutting ties with Epstein in December 2010. These revelations have intensified scrutiny of the Duke's credibility and reignited concerns about his association with the convicted sex offender, leading to calls for a deeper investigation into their relationship.
