LONDON — The British royal family faces a new round of embarrassment after the latest release of documents from the US investigation into Jeffrey Epstein revealed unsavory details about the relationship between the convicted sex offender and a reporter who appears to be the man formerly known as Prince Andrew.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice include an invitation to Epstein to dinner at Buckingham Palace, Epstein offering to introduce his correspondence to a 26-year-old Russian woman, and photos showing Andrew kneeling over an unidentified person lying on the floor.
The revelations come three months after King Charles III stripped Andrew of his royal titles, including the right to be called a prince, as he attempted to insulate the monarchy from an ongoing series of stories about his younger brother’s relationship with Epstein that have tarnished the royal family for more than a decade. The former prince is now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Distorted personality
Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London, said that as a result of the move, the damage from the latest emails was likely to be limited to Mountbatten-Windsor.
Prescott said the documents show that “they had to do something to separate Andrew from the rest of the family, and the nuclear option was the clearest way to do that.” “And as more come out, you feel vindicated.”
Prescott said the documents raise serious questions about Andrew’s judgment, while offering a rare look at how some of the world’s elite behave behind closed doors.
“It’s the kind of thing they do behind some gilded doors in New York or London or wherever,” he said. “They’re things that seem to happen on occasion. I think most people think this is very unusual.”
These leaks revived questions about whether Mountbatten-Windsor should cooperate with the American authorities investigating the Epstein case and his relationships with influential individuals around the world.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested on Saturday that Mountbatten-Windsor tell American investigators everything he knows about Epstein’s activities.
Arriving in Japan to meet the country’s leaders, Starmer said: “In terms of giving evidence, I have always said that anyone with information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do so, because you cannot focus on the victims if you are not prepared to do so.”
Mountbatten-Windsor said in late 2019 that he was willing to assist any appropriate law enforcement agency in its investigation into the Epstein case. However, previous documents released by the Justice Department show that during 10 months of emails and conference calls, Mountbatten-Windsor’s lawyers rejected proposals to have their client directly interviewed by federal prosecutors either in person or via video.
Instead, his lawyers asked to be allowed to answer questions in writing, something they said was allowed in British courts. Finally, on September 23, 2020, prosecutors gave up on securing a voluntary interview and said they intended to ask the British courts to compel Andrew to give evidence. There is no indication that Mountbatten-Windsor ever gave such testimony.
The House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Epstein, in November asked Andrew to sit for a written interview.
A relationship under fire
Mountbatten-Windsor has been plagued by his relationship with Epstein since 2008, when the wealthy financier pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor into prostitution. In 2011, the late Virginia Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 years old.
He tried to stifle controversy in a BBC interview in 2019, but his appearance fueled the scandal when he was criticized for offering unbelievable explanations for his behavior and failing to show compassion for Epstein’s victims.
The former prince has repeatedly denied committing any crimes and rejected Giuffre’s allegations. An email requesting comment on the latest version of the document was not responded to. The presence of any person’s name or photo in the investigation files is not evidence of any violations.
The emails revealed Friday include an August 2010 exchange between Epstein and an account bearing the name “The Duke” that occurred shortly after the financier was released from home detention following his previous conviction. Before being banned from using the title, Mountbatten-Windsor was the Duke of York.
“I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with,” Epstein writes.
The Duke replies: “Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of the 22nd but I would be happy to see her. Will she bring a letter from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch with me.”
The email is signed “A.”
In response to a redacted email, “The Duke” then wrote, “Great. Is there any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know? Like what did you tell her about me and did you give her my email too?”
“She’s 26 years old, Russian, pretty, pretty, trustworthy, and yes she has your email,” replies Epstein, whose emails often contain typos.
“That was fast!” The Duke answers. “How are you? It’s good to be free?”
“It’s nice to be free of so many things,” Epstein says.
This conversation sparked shock from Jenny Bond, a former royal correspondent for the BBC, who pointed out that it would be very unusual for a member of the royal family to meet someone he knows so little about.
“I mean what was he thinking?” Bond told the BBC. “What was he thinking when Epstein offered him a very beautiful 26-year-old Russian woman to have dinner with? I mean, wasn’t there a red light saying, ‘Oh my God, you know, is this a security risk?’ Could she be a spy? Should I do this?” Nah. “That would be so nice,” he says.
Malicious emails
In another exchange in September 2010, Epstein said he was in London.
“I will just be leaving Scotland, which should be by 1800,” the Duke responded in an email signed with the initial “A.” “I’ll call you when I get down if you can give me a number to call.
“Alternatively, we can have dinner at Buckingham Palace and enjoy a lot of privacy.”
“Please,” Epstein replies.
The release also includes three images showing a person resembling Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over an unidentified person whose face has been obscured.
In one photo, the man wearing blue jeans and a polo shirt looks at the camera. In other photos, he appears to be talking to an unknown person with his hand on his stomach. There is no caption and no indication of when or where the photos were taken.
Prescott said that while the revelations were inappropriate, there was little the palace could do to punish him.
“As far as Andrew’s reputation is concerned, it’s completely over,” he said.
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