Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2015 email from Jeffrey Epstein’s files referenced claims about his past relationship with Virginia Giuffre. The message, part of correspondence involving Epstein and a New York Times reporter, is now drawing attention as questions around the case resurface. Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing and has never been charged with a crime.
The email exchange, dated 2015, involved Epstein and reporter Landon Thomas Jr., reported Radar Online. In it, Thomas appeared to reference Andrew having a consensual encounter with Giuffre, using her maiden name initials “VR.” The wording was not challenged or corrected in Epstein’s reply — a detail that has since attracted interest from legal observers reviewing the documents.
Michael Tracey @mtracey says: no credible evidence Virginia Roberts (later Virginia Giuffre) had sexual contact with Prince Andrew!, but it’s in an email from Landon Thomas Jr. to Epstein (January 2015), which Epstein doesn’t appear to dispute + would be circumstantial evidence: pic.twitter.com/i2mMVDWXaH
— Lord Keynes (@Lord_Keynes3) February 18, 2026
In an email to Epstein, Thomas wrote, “I think the big issue is separating yourself from Andrew. I mean in the end he had consensual s-x with VR. And VR worked for you. The rest is atmospherics. You have moved on! People don’t know that and can’t accept that unless you say as much.”
Giuffre, who died in 2024 at age 41, had alleged for years that she was trafficked by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and forced into encounters with powerful men, including the Duke of York. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 in federal court in New York on trafficking-related charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Epstein died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges.
Andrew has repeatedly and firmly denied Giuffre’s allegations. In a widely watched 2019 interview with the BBC, he said the events she described did not happen. The interview, broadcast on the program BBC Newsnight, led to significant public backlash. Within days, Andrew stepped back from public royal duties.
#EpsteinFiles Palace threatens journalism! Incl #ABC newsreader Amy Robach’s interview with Virginia Giuffre. When the initial story broke, the Palace started flexing its muscle, making veiled threats against newspapers who might reveal further informationhttps://t.co/0tthmEGX48 https://t.co/YfYAelBeq9
— 🤒♿️✊ Classic Movies, Classic TV, History 🎦 📺📚 (@thetalentguru) February 18, 2026
In 2022, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in a civil case filed in New York. The agreement included a payment reported to be in the millions, though it contained no admission of liability. The settlement brought an end to the lawsuit but did not quiet debate surrounding his ties to Epstein.
The newly highlighted 2015 email is being described by some observers as the first written communication within Epstein’s circle that references the alleged encounter as a matter of fact. It is not a legal finding, nor is it a sworn statement. Still, written correspondence often carries weight, especially in cases that have already drawn global attention.
Epstein’s network of contacts, once a subject of quiet speculation, has been examined for years through court filings, depositions, and document releases. Several rounds of unsealed records have shed light on who communicated with him and when, though being mentioned in documents does not by itself imply wrongdoing.
Sarah Ferguson branded Virginia Giuffre a ‘salacious liar’ while defending Andrew in US TV interview – Daily Mail https://t.co/F5BxrcKJxj
— Bill Davies (@nycmaven44637) February 18, 2026
Andrew, formally known as the Duke of York, has kept a low public profile since relinquishing his official military titles and royal patronages. Buckingham Palace previously confirmed he would no longer use the style “His Royal Highness” in an official capacity.
The timing of renewed interest in the email comes amid continued public focus on transparency around Epstein-related records. Lawmakers in the United States have pushed for further disclosure, while media outlets continue to examine newly available material.
For Andrew, the latest development adds another chapter to a saga that has stretched from New York courtrooms to televised interviews and palace statements. The legal cases connected to Epstein may be largely concluded, but the paper trail continues to surface, one document at a time.
