Newly unsealed Justice Department records reveal a 2015 draft statement by Ghislaine Maxwell in which she says she introduced Prince Andrew to the woman named in filings as Virginia and that the 2001 photograph was taken at Maxwell’s London home. The admission appears to contradict Maxwell’s public claim that the image was fake and adds to earlier evidence — including a 2011 email from Jeffrey Epstein — supporting the photo’s authenticity. Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein and Maxwell of trafficking and abuse, died in April 2025; Prince Andrew denies the allegations and settled with Giuffre in 2022. Giuffre’s family says the documents vindicate her account.
Maxwell’s Draft Admits Photo Of Prince Andrew With Virginia Giuffre Was Taken At Her London Home
Courtesy Virginia Roberts Giuffre
Newly unsealed Justice Department records released Jan. 30 contain a 2015 draft statement from Ghislaine Maxwell in which she acknowledges that the widely circulated 2001 photograph of Prince Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre was taken at Maxwell’s London home and that she introduced the two.
Then-Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is pictured during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. / Karwai Tang / WireImage
The disclosure adds to previously reported evidence and directly contradicts Maxwell’s public insistence that the image is fake. Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, prepared the draft days after Giuffre filed a lawsuit accusing Maxwell of recruiting her as a “sex slave” for Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell sent the draft to Epstein for review.
Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in a Texas prison after being convicted of sex trafficking related to Epstein, has publicly insisted that the photo is “fake,” declaring she didn’t “believe it’s real for a second.” / Department of Justice
What Maxwell Wrote
In the draft, Maxwell wrote that she was in London in 2001 when “[redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.” She added, “I never asked (redacted) to give him a massage.”
While Giuffre’s name is redacted from the document, details point to her, including an unredacted reference to “Virginia’s mother” and Maxwell’s account of meeting Giuffre at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club—an account that aligns with statements from both Giuffre and Trump. / Department of Justice
“Prince Andrew came to my house to visit me - (redacted) was in the house and they did meet.”
That account contradicts Prince Andrew’s long‑stated claim that he was at a PizzaExpress on the night the photo was taken. Maxwell has publicly maintained the image is false, saying she did not “believe it’s real for a second,” yet the newly released draft contains statements that appear to undercut that denial.
Maxwell concluded her draft statement with a dig at her Giuffre. / Department of Justice
Context And Corroborating Evidence
Although Giuffre’s name is redacted in the released document, the draft includes references — such as an unredacted mention of “Virginia’s mother” and Maxwell’s recollection of meeting the young woman at Mar‑a‑Lago — that point to Giuffre’s identity. The details align with prior statements attributed to Giuffre and to others.
Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, when she says she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew, among others. / Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Separately, House Democrats released a July 2011 email from Jeffrey Epstein in which he wrote, “Yes she was on my plane and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew,” a line that has been cited as further evidence supporting the photo’s authenticity. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019.
More disturbing images of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were released by the DOJ on Friday. One image shows the former royal on his hands and knees, crouching over an unidentified person on the floor. / Department of Justice
Allegations, Outcomes, And Reactions
Virginia Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025. She had alleged that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked and sexually abused her between 1999 and 2002 and that she was sent to high‑profile men, including Prince Andrew. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations and reached an out‑of‑court settlement with Giuffre in 2022.
Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein are seen together in a photo released by the DOJ. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on charges related to sex trafficking and is serving a 20‑year sentence in a U.S. federal prison. After the draft statement became public, Giuffre’s family issued a statement calling the newly released records another vindication and urged that Prince Andrew face potential criminal accountability.
The Daily Beast has contacted Maxwell’s legal team for comment.
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