Fresh controversy has erupted around Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, after newly surfaced emails suggest he maintained contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein months after publicly claiming to have severed ties. The revelations, published by The Sun and The Guardian, have intensified scrutiny of the British royal and renewed questions about the monarchy’s handling of the scandal.
The heart of the storm is a February 28, 2011 email, allegedly sent from Prince Andrew’s official royal account, complete with the signature "HRH The Duke of York KG." The timing is particularly damning: the message was sent just one day after a notorious photograph surfaced, showing Andrew with his arm around then-17-year-old Virginia Roberts Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London townhouse. Giuffre has repeatedly alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, allegations he has always vehemently denied.
In the email, Andrew wrote to Epstein, "I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!" According to The Guardian, the correspondence adds to mounting pressure on the Duke and the royal family, as it appears to contradict Andrew’s public statements about ending his friendship with Epstein.
The photograph in question, reportedly taken in March 2001, was published for the first time on February 27, 2011. The following day, Andrew’s email to Epstein surfaced, showing a tone of camaraderie and mutual support as both men faced the fallout from the photo’s release. The message’s closing line—“We’ll play some more soon!!!!”—has drawn particular attention for its casual, almost flippant tone amid such serious allegations.
Andrew’s previous public statements now appear at odds with the timeline revealed by the emails. In a high-profile 2019 interview with the BBC's Newsnight, Andrew asserted that he had cut off all contact with Epstein in December 2010, after the two were photographed together in New York’s Central Park. He told journalist Emily Maitlis, "I ceased contact with him [Epstein] after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasn’t in touch with him again until 2010." He further explained, "I had to show leadership and I had to go and see him and I had to tell him ‘that’s it’." Yet, the newly revealed correspondence suggests their relationship continued into early 2011.
Adding to the complexity, a section of Andrew’s email to Epstein surfaced earlier this year in court documents related to a case involving former Barclays CEO Jes Staley and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. The document, first reported as being from a "royal family member," was later attributed to Andrew. The legal proceedings, while focused on Staley’s relationship with Epstein, inadvertently shone a light on Andrew’s ongoing communication with the disgraced financier.
Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal history is well documented. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to charges of solicitation of prostitution, including with a minor, and served jail time. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, but died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell that August while awaiting trial. Ghislaine Maxwell, another key figure in the scandal, was later convicted on charges related to Epstein’s sex trafficking network.
The fallout from the Epstein saga has reverberated through the highest levels of British society. In 2015, court documents revealed allegations that Giuffre had been trafficked to London specifically to have sex with Andrew, claims he has steadfastly denied. Notably, Andrew has also insisted that he never met Giuffre, at times suggesting the infamous photograph could have been doctored. Both Giuffre and Epstein have since died by suicide, leaving many questions unresolved.
While the royal’s defenders argue that the email’s tone could be misinterpreted or taken out of context, critics say the new evidence undermines Andrew’s credibility and raises further doubts about the transparency of the royal family’s response. Buckingham Palace and the Duke of York’s office have been contacted for comment, but have yet to issue a statement addressing the latest revelations.
The scandal has not been confined to the royal family. This weekend, it emerged that former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair met Epstein at Downing Street on May 14, 2002, following a recommendation by Peter Mandelson. Mandelson, who was recently dismissed as US ambassador after new information surfaced about his closeness to Epstein, had described Epstein as “safe” and a “friend” in a message to Blair’s chief of staff, Jonathan Powell. The meeting, which predated Epstein’s criminal conviction, is detailed in newly released papers from the National Archives.
The exposure of these connections has reignited debate over the extent of Epstein’s influence in elite circles, both in Britain and abroad. For many observers, the revelations about Prince Andrew are not merely about personal failings but about systemic issues of privilege, accountability, and the ability of the powerful to evade scrutiny. The royal’s continued denials, juxtaposed with mounting evidence, have left the public—and the monarchy itself—grappling with uncomfortable questions.
Amid the ongoing revelations, the British press and public remain divided. Some view the story as a damning indictment of royal privilege and the culture of silence that often surrounds it. Others caution against drawing conclusions before all facts are known, pointing to the complexities of legal proceedings and the potential for misinterpretation of private correspondence.
Yet, the email’s existence and content are difficult to dismiss. As The Guardian notes, "the email will pile further pressure on the Duke of York and the royal family because he previously told the BBC he had ceased contact with the convicted child sex offender by that point." The timing, tone, and context of Andrew’s message to Epstein suggest a relationship that endured beyond what was previously acknowledged—a reality that now demands answers from the highest levels of British society.
With new details continuing to emerge and legal cases still unfolding, the Prince Andrew–Epstein saga shows no sign of fading from public view. Each revelation adds another layer to a complex and troubling story—one that continues to challenge the boundaries of accountability, truth, and trust in the institutions at the heart of British life.
