The more than 3m Jeffrey Epstein documents released by the US Department of Justice include emails from accounts labelled “The Duke” and “The Invisible Man” as well as from “Sarah”, and references to “Fergie”, suggesting they are from the former Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
They appear to reveal the two were in contact with Epstein immediately after the end of his house arrest in August 2010, and Mountbatten-Windsor’s visit to the US that December.
Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution, for which he served 13 months in a jail work-release programme. He was later released under house arrest for a year.
Key revelations include:
Andrew crouched over a woman
The files include photographs of a barefoot, smiling Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor crouching on all fours over an unidentified woman lying flat on the floor. The former Duke of York is seen looking at the camera as the woman, whose face is redacted, lies on her back between his arms.
In one of the three photographs, the former royal appears to have his hand placed on her abdomen. The images are undated, have no captions or reference to indicate where they were taken, and do not indicate wrongdoing.
‘Beautiful’ Russian woman
Mountbatten-Windsor appears to have exchanged emails with Epstein, days after his house arrest ended in August 2010, about a “beautiful” Russian woman. Epstein writes: “I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with.”
In response, “The Duke” writes he would be “delighted to see her” and asks Epstein to “give her my contact details to get in touch. A”.
In another email “The Duke” requests more information about the woman. Epstein writes: “She 26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email.” “The Duke” replies: “That was quick! How are you? Good to be free?”
Invitation to Buckingham Palace
A month later, in September 2010, emails between Epstein and “The Duke” – believed to be Mountbatten-Windsor – show Epstein requested “private time” on a planned visit to London.
Mountbatten-Windsor appears to have responded: “We could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy.” Two days later, he followed up by saying: “Delighted for you to come here to BP [Buckingham Palace]. Come with whomever and I’ll be here free from 1600ish.” It is unclear if the meeting took place.
Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to have attended a “last-minute casual dinner” party with Epstein months after he was released from prison, files suggest.
They include emails from the Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal to several high-profile figures in relation to a dinner for Mountbatten-Windsor, who was in New York on an “unofficial private visit” in December 2010, which is the one on which he previously said he broke off his friendship with the financier.
In an email, on Christmas Eve 2010 – after the date on which he has said previously that he broke off the friendship – he appears to offer the financier an investment opportunity in Afghanistan.
Epstein wants Sarah Ferguson to release a statement saying he ‘wasn’t a pedo’
Emails appear to show Epstein wanted Sarah Ferguson to release a statement saying he was “not a pedo”. Writing to the publicist Mike Sitrick on 13 March 2011, Epstein said: “I think that Fergie can now say, I am not a pedo.
“She was DUPED into believeing [sic] false stories, by Civil Plaintiffs Attorneys from Florida.”
This request was made days after Ferguson told the Evening Standard she had “deep regret” over her ties with Epstein, saying: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children.”
Sitrick replies saying Ferguson “needs to fix” it. But Epstein responds saying that they “cannot depend on her doing as we would wish … We need an alternative”, adding: “Fergie and Hope is not sufficient.”
The next month, “Sarah” emailed Epstein saying she “did not” and “would not” call him a “P” and that she had acted to “protect my own brand”.
Sarah’s spokesperson previously said she had spoken of her regret about her association with Epstein and “does not resile” from condemning him publicly.
He added that Epstein had threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.
Ferguson’s apparent meeting with Epstein
In an August 2009 email, a year after Epstein’s conviction, Ferguson appears to suggest she and her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, met the disgraced financier, saying: “I have never been more touched by a friends [sic] kindness than your compliment to me in front of my girls.”
Epstein was under house arrest when the email was sent, but Ferguson implies that the pair had lunch the previous week. It has not been confirmed if she visited him while he was confined to his home.
In the emails, Ferguson also discusses conversations she has had with retailers regarding her “Sarah Ferguson brand”. Epstein gave Ferguson at least £15,000 to help pay off debts, but some reports have suggested he bankrolled her to a much greater extent.
‘The Invisible Man’, Ghislaine Maxwell and ‘5 stunning red heads’
An exchange between an email address named “The Invisible Man” and Ghislaine Maxwell in August 2002 suggests an affectionate relationship between the former prince and Maxwell. She refers to him as Andrew, and mentions his former wife’s name, while previous emails from the account have referred to having a valet and being at Balmoral with the royal family.
In one, signed “A”, the sender says he “might join Sarah and the kids in Sotogrande for a few days” rather than the “better offer”.
Maxwell replies on 24 August 2002: “Andrew sweet heart – I fully understand if you want to spend time w/Sarah and the kids” and that “the idea of coming to the Island looks less appealing.”
In a follow-up email after The Invisible Man confirmed he would not be coming, Maxwell said: “No problem, (redacted), who is now coming and 5 other stunning red heads will all just have to play with ourselves.”
In a reply on 27 August, “The Invisible Man” said: “Look forward to catching up with you before you disappear to some exotic place and please don’t catch anything nasty on your travels! Masses of love and thanks, A xxx.”
