New revelations indicate that Prince Andrew maintained a relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for five years longer than previously claimed. According to emails allegedly leaked from the account of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the Duke of York provided Epstein with information concerning a potential business deal in China as late as December 2015. This contradicts Andrew’s statements made during a November 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, where he asserted that he had severed ties with Epstein in December 2010.
The leaked emails, which were reported by Reason and the Times of London, suggest that Andrew, 65, communicated with Epstein even after multiple accusers had come forward with allegations against the financier. Notably, this was a year after Andrew faced accusations from Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s trafficking network. In a February 2011 email, Andrew reportedly told Epstein, “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!” This correspondence raises questions about the nature of their relationship during a time when the financier was under intense scrutiny.
In December 2015, Andrew informed Epstein about a surge in demand for private security among wealthy Chinese families due to a rise in kidnappings. The email correspondence highlights that Andrew had discussed the potential formation of a personal protection company in Beijing, stating, “Weathy chines [sic] looking for to start personel [sic] protection co in Beijing, kidnapping has begun.” Epstein’s reply confirmed Andrew’s involvement in this communication.
This exchange occurred shortly after Andrew played a prominent role in welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UK for a state visit. The Duke had visited Beijing the previous year and later expanded an investment initiative, Pitch@Palace, into China with assistance from Yang Tengbo, who has been accused by British intelligence of being a spy. Yang has denied these allegations.
The emails surfaced after Barak’s inbox was compromised by the group Handala, which has connections to anti-Israeli operations. The hacking was reportedly facilitated by the site Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), which functions similarly to WikiLeaks.
Prince Andrew has faced significant public backlash over his ties to Epstein, resulting in the stripping of his royal titles and military honors. In his 2019 interview, he claimed that he traveled to New York in December 2010 “with the sole purpose” of ending his friendship with Epstein, asserting that he had no further contact with the financier from that day onward. This statement now appears to be contradicted by the newly revealed emails.
In February 2022, Andrew reached a financial settlement with Giuffre, reportedly amounting to $16 million, to resolve her civil claim without admitting any wrongdoing. He has consistently denied all allegations of sexual abuse or involvement in sex trafficking.
The fallout from these events continues, with Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s trafficking operations, claiming that she did not introduce Andrew to Epstein. Instead, she alleged that the Prince’s then-wife, Sarah Ferguson, had facilitated their friendship. Maxwell described the allegations against Andrew as “bulls–t” claims aimed at discrediting the Royal Family, suggesting they were fabricated for financial gain.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the latest revelations, and both Barak and Andrew have yet to address the authenticity of the leaked emails. Barak has previously claimed ignorance regarding Epstein’s illicit activities.
As this story develops, the implications of Andrew’s extended contact with Epstein raise further questions about accountability and transparency within the British Royal Family.