By Lucy Caulkett-
Newly released emails from Jeffrey Epstein appear to confirm the authenticity of a widely circulated photograph showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around a young Virginia Giuffre, despite the former prince’s long-standing denials and suggestions the image was a fake. The emails, part of a trove of documents made public by the U.S. House Oversight Committee, contain a message from Epstein acknowledging the photo was real.
The email in question was sent by Jeffrey Epstein to an unnamed journalist in July 2011, several months after the photo first emerged in the media. In the correspondence, Epstein was attempting to discredit Ms. Giuffre’s allegations and portray her as a “total liar”.
The critical excerpt from the email reads: “Yes she [Giuffre] was on my plane, and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have”.
Epstein’s acknowledgement of the photograph’s existence contradicts Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s previous claims. In his now-infamous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, Andrew had cast doubt on the photo’s authenticity, stating he had “no recollection of that photograph ever being taken” and that it could not be proven whether or not it was “faked or not”. He also claimed public displays of affection were not something he did.
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While confirming the photo was taken, Epstein’s primary goal in the email exchange was to undermine Ms. Giuffre’s credibility. He claimed she was a “fraud” and a “total horseshit” liar, suggesting a journalist should investigate her background to disprove her allegations.
In a separate email to a publicist, also in July 2011, Epstein further wrote: “The girl who accused Prince Andrew can also easily be proven to be a liar. I think Buckingham Palace would love it”. He promised future access to royal events like Ascot if the publicist could “task someone to investigate the girl”.
Further Email Revelations and Implications
The newly released documents contain other email exchanges that cast further doubt on Andrew’s public statements. In March 2011, an email exchange between Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and a redacted individual listed as “The Duke” (thought to be Andrew) discussed press inquiries about Ms. Giuffre’s claims. This exchange occurred months after Andrew claimed he had ended his friendship with Epstein in late 2010, suggesting he was still in contact with the sex offender well into 2011.
In the 2011 email, Andrew appeared stressed by the situation, writing: “I can’t take any more of this my end” and asking Epstein to ensure any statements “states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations”.
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These revelations have intensified the scrutiny surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles and privileges earlier in November 2025 following the posthumous publication of Ms. Giuffre’s memoir detailing her allegations of sexual abuse by Andrew. Ms. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025 at the age of 41. Andrew has consistently denied all allegations of sexual abuse and has never faced any criminal charges related to the case.
The US House Oversight Committee, which released the emails, does not have the power to subpoena Andrew but has formally requested he answer questions as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s network. A Democratic congressman on the committee has indicated Andrew could testify remotely.
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