Topics: Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, Royal Family, Celebrity, Crime, UK News, US News, Technology
Emails previously shared between Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein have been disclosed amid the royal being ‘stripped’ of his ‘prince’ title.
On Thursday (30 October), Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew would lose all of his royal titles and vacate his Windsor mansion.
The decision came amidst the scandal surrounding his friendship with Epstein, with accuser Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir revealing more claims against the former prince, who has continuously denied the allegations against him.
With the government not planning to pass the law needed to remove him from the line of succession, the father-of-two remains eighth in line for the British throne.
Advert
The news that Andrew, 65, would no longer benefit from a royal title comes amid newly revealed emails shared between him and Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting trial behind bars in 2019.
According to a report by Sky News, the former Duke of York sent the child sex offender a note via email in April 2010, months after he was released from prison for prostituting minors.
The correspondence was released on Friday (31 October) in unsealed court documents from a 2023 legal battle, which was settled.
Andrew reportedly replied to a message from Epstein suggesting he should meet American banker James ‘Jes’ Staley in London later that month.
“I would love to, but sadly heading to the stan’s [Central Asia] via Kiev next Fri/Sat, so will miss him,” he wrote. “But I will make sure I meet him soon on another trip.
“Also, I have no immediate plans to drop by New York, but I think I should at some stage soon. I’ll look and see if I can make a couple of days before the summer."
“It would be good to catch up in person,” he added.
The court documents state that Epstein forwarded the email to Staley, who was banned from holding senior finance roles by the Financial Conduct Authority in 2023.
This was due to being found guilty of mischaracterising the regulator over the nature of his relationship with the billionaire criminal.
Andrew and Epstein did meet up in 2010, with a picture being published in New York’s Central Park in December, but the former claimed this was a meeting to ‘end’ their friendship.
It’s not currently known when Andrew will move out of the Grade II listed Royal Lodge, which he has leased from the Crown Estate with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 66, for more than two decades.
“Formal notice has today been served to surrender the lease. The move will take place as soon as practicable,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read.
Prince Andrew will move to a property on the private Sandringham estate, according to Town & Country.
UNILAD has contacted representatives of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor for further comment.
