Emails from Epstein estate renew scrutiny of Prince Andrew
Documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, newly disclosed by the U.S. House Oversight Committee, include March 2011 email exchanges in which Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor) urged Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to state publicly that he was not involved in allegations against him.
In the chain, the former duke writes several times that he is overwhelmed: “I can’t take any more of this,” and asks 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.” The messages were prompted by a right‑to‑reply email forwarded from a British newspaper that relayed claims about encounters in London, New York and on Epstein’s private island, Little St. James.
“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,” the email reads.
The allegations detailed in the right‑to‑reply correspond to long‑standing accusations made by Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser who said she was trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell and who alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew while underage on multiple occasions. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking in 2022 and is serving a long prison term.
Andrew has consistently denied the allegations. In a 2019 BBC interview he said he had “no recollection” of meeting one accuser and called his 2010 visit to Epstein “the wrong decision.” In 2022 he reached an out‑of‑court settlement with Giuffre in a civil suit; he did not admit wrongdoing but acknowledged her suffering as a trafficking victim. Following renewed attention after Giuffre’s memoir, he was stripped of military titles and royal patronages by King Charles III.
Other documents in the release show Epstein urging reporters to discredit Giuffre and reference a widely circulated photograph that appears to show Andrew with a young woman. Epstein’s emails included: “Yes she was on my plane, and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have,” and called Giuffre a “total liar.”
Wider network: Peter Mandelson exchange
The cache also sheds light on Epstein’s correspondence with former UK politician Peter Mandelson, whose own trove of emails contributed to his dismissal as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. Messages between Mandelson and Epstein show contact as late as 2016 and include an exchange in which Epstein appears to say Mandelson was right to avoid Andrew; Mandelson replied, “Yes, without Andrew it would not have gone nuclear.” The precise meaning is unclear and CNN and other outlets have sought comment from Mandelson.
The House Oversight Committee has asked Andrew to answer questions as part of its broader probe into Epstein and his network; a committee member said he had not yet responded to the invitation to testify. News organizations have sought comment from the former prince following the document release.
Note: This article summarizes the contents of released documents and reported allegations. Allegations remain disputed; Andrew has denied wrongdoing and settled civil claims without admitting liability.
