The Duke of York’s communication with the convicted financier continued until early 2011, despite previous assertions of a 2010 break
Prince Andrew remained in touch with Jeffrey Epstein well beyond the date he publicly claimed to have severed ties with the disgraced financier, new documents reveal. The Duke of York had previously stated that he had stopped communicating with Epstein in December 2010, but fresh emails suggest they were still in contact as late as February 2011.
The emails, which were presented as part of a court filing in London, show the two exchanging messages up until at least late February 2011. On one occasion, the Duke wrote, “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon.” This correspondence occurred on the same day that a photograph of Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell – who is imprisoned for her role in Epstein’s trafficking ring – was published, according to Bloomberg.
Giuffre, who was 17 at the time, has accused Andrew of sexual assault on Epstein’s private island, a claim the Duke has consistently denied. In 2022, he reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Giuffre, without admitting any wrongdoing.
The emails were made public following a legal disclosure in the ongoing case against former Barclays CEO Jes Staley, who is contesting a ban from the financial sector over his connections to Epstein. The correspondence includes an invitation from Epstein for Andrew to meet Staley in London on February 27, 2011, to which Andrew responded with a query about the date.
This new evidence contradicts Andrew’s statements in a 2019 BBC interview, where he insisted he had cut ties with Epstein after a 2010 meeting in Central Park. During the interview, the Duke also denied allegations from Giuffre and stated that he could not have been sweaty during a nightclub encounter due to a medical condition linked to his time in the Falklands War.
In the wake of the interview, the Queen permitted Andrew to step back from royal duties. By January 2022, he was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages. The following month, he settled Giuffre’s civil claim for a substantial sum. As part of the settlement, Andrew agreed to make a donation to a charity supporting victims’ rights.
