Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born February 19, 1960), is the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger brother of King Charles III. A former Royal Navy officer who served in the Falklands War, Andrew held the ceremonial title of Duke of York and served as the UK's special representative for international trade from 2001 to 2011. His decades-long association with Jeffrey Epstein became the subject of extensive public scrutiny, culminating in his being stripped of all royal titles and military honors by King Charles III in 2025. He is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
While Prince Andrew does not appear as a sender or recipient in any of the emails in Epstein's archive, he is referenced in numerous documents and email exchanges, particularly regarding his relationship with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, allegations made by Virginia Giuffre (née Roberts), and public relations efforts to manage the scandal that emerged in 2011. In 2022, Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre for an estimated £12 million without admitting liability, with the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III reportedly funding the settlement. Giuffre died in 2025 at age 41, shortly before the publication of her posthumous memoir.
The archive contains extensive FBI investigative materials documenting allegations against Andrew, including detailed witness testimony provided to federal agents in 2011. In April 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice formally designated Andrew as a "material witness" in criminal investigations of both Jeffrey Epstein and fashion executive Peter Nygard, and requested his testimony under the U.S.-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. Despite Andrew's public statements offering cooperation, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman stated in January 2020 that Andrew had provided "zero cooperation" with federal investigators.
Background#
Andrew Albert Christian Edward was born at Buckingham Palace on February 19, 1960, the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was second in line to the British throne, behind his older brother Charles (now King Charles III). He was educated at Heatherdown Preparatory School and Gordonstoun, following in the footsteps of his father and elder brother.
Andrew joined the Royal Navy in 1979 and trained as a helicopter pilot, serving for 22 years. He saw active combat during the 1982 Falklands War, flying helicopters from HMS Inverness. In 1986, he married Sarah Ferguson in a highly publicized ceremony; the couple had two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, before divorcing in 1996.
From 2001 to 2011, Andrew served as the UK's special representative for international trade and investment, a role that drew criticism for his reportedly lavish travel expenses and association with controversial figures. He was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein by Ghislaine Maxwell in the 1990s, and their friendship persisted for over a decade, with Andrew hosting Epstein and Maxwell at royal residences including Windsor Castle, Sandringham, and Balmoral.
Public reporting on Andrew's connection to Epstein intensified in 2011, with media pressure specifically calling for his resignation from the trade envoy role. In March 2011, journalists confronted Andrew asking whether he was "an 'embarrassment to his country'" and would resign from his trade ambassador position. Following the June 2011 Vanity Fair fact-checking crisis detailed in the archive, Andrew resigned from his trade envoy role in July 2011. In 2019, Andrew gave a disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in which he attempted to explain his relationship with the convicted sex offender. The interview was widely criticized and led to Andrew stepping back from royal duties. In January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages, and in 2025, King Charles III formally removed all remaining titles, ordering him to vacate Royal Lodge.
Correspondence with Epstein#
Prince Andrew does not appear directly in Epstein's email correspondence as a sender or recipient. However, the archive contains several emails forwarded to Epstein from an account identified as "The Duke," which reference Andrew's activities and business interests.
In December 2010, shortly after Epstein's release from prison, Andrew forwarded Epstein a business proposal regarding Aria Petroleum, a Central Asian fuel distribution company. The email, sent December 2, 2010, asked Epstein: "I should have done something about this but not sure if the office did. I am checking but as this is a US institution do you know of anyone who might like to take a look?" The proposal sought a $200 million working capital line and suggested connecting with senior bankers at Barclays or RBS. The company was described as "Central Asia's 2nd largest fuel distribution company" operating in "Russia, Kazakh, Azerbijian, Turkministan etc." This email demonstrates the pattern of Andrew using Epstein's financial network connections to advance business opportunities related to his UK trade envoy role, specifically in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Russia.
On December 3, 2010, Andrew forwarded Epstein a New York Post "Page Six" item about himself with the note "This just in". The article described Andrew attending a party at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse, noting it was "almost like a singles party" and that "the prince seemed to be enchanted with many of the women in the room".
In June 2010, an email was forwarded to Epstein thanking several individuals for helping with Sarah Ferguson's financial difficulties, with "HRH Prince Andrew Duke of York" copied. The email expressed gratitude for "amazing friendship. Your loyalty and kindness" in addressing what appeared to be a debt restructuring matter. David Stern was also cc'd on this email, placing him directly within the Andrew/Ferguson financial circle alongside advisors Simon Griffiths and Helen Jones.
The most extensive references to Prince Andrew appear in June 2011 correspondence regarding a Vanity Fair article by Edward Klein. The magazine was fact-checking allegations about Epstein's relationship with Andrew and Virginia Giuffre. Klein's inquiry, forwarded through Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff, asked about payments to Sarah Ferguson, the photograph of Andrew with Giuffre, and whether Andrew continued to meet with Epstein after the December 2010 Central Park walk.
Maxwell and Epstein exchanged multiple emails crafting responses to Klein's questions. Maxwell's draft response, dated June 9, 2011, stated: "MS MAXWELL HAS NO RECOLECTION OF THE PHOTO BEING TAKEN AND GIVEN WE ARE TAL=ING AN EVENT THAT ALLEDGEDLY TOOK PLACE OVER 10 YEARS AGO IT WOULD BE SURPR=SING". The response also attacked Giuffre's credibility, claiming she "fled the country with an outstanding arrest warrant for grand theft" and had a history of "sexual harassment claims against people other than Mr Epstein" that were "thrown out of court for her lack of credibility".
In March 2011, both Terje Rod-Larsen and publicist Peggy Siegal received emails from Epstein forwarding a BBC request for an interview about "stories which are circulating, however inaccurately, about both him and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York". The BBC emphasized that the interview would "set the news agenda for the country".
David Stern's Role as Facilitator and "Prince Andrew's China Person"#
David Stern functioned as a critical intermediary between Epstein and Prince Andrew. In an email dated September 28, 2013, Epstein introduced Stern to Joshua Cooper Ramo, describing Stern as "prince andrews chin[a] person-- great friend" and noting "david is german Jewish, josh in newmexic[o] jewish". Ramo was identified as "a partner in kissinger asst. chin[a]", and Epstein noted "you both speak chinese". This characterization by Epstein himself establishes Stern's role extended beyond crisis management to serving as Andrew's representative for China-related business and diplomatic matters.
Stern actively monitored Andrew and Ferguson-related press coverage on Epstein's behalf. On November 24, 2010, Stern forwarded Epstein an article titled "Fergie set to clear £5m debts". On November 29, 2010, Stern forwarded a Daily Mail article about "Prince Andrew caught in WikiLeaks scandal". On November 27, 2010, when Stern forwarded an article headlined "Duchess of Debt", Epstein replied asking "who talks?"—indicating concern about who was leaking information about Ferguson's finances to the press.
When Ferguson's U.S. business Hartmoor LLC collapsed with $1 million in debts in October 2009, Epstein emailed Stern asking: "have you spoken to her?" This confirms Stern served as the direct communication channel between Epstein and Ferguson. Stern's embeddedness in the Andrew/Ferguson circle, his monitoring of media coverage, and his identification by Epstein as Andrew's "china person" demonstrate a relationship that extended well beyond 2010 into at least September 2013, serving both crisis management and business facilitation functions.
Federal Criminal Investigation: Material Witness Designation#
DOJ Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Request
On April 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a formal Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) request to the United Kingdom Central Authority seeking to interview Prince Andrew as a material witness in two separate federal criminal investigations. The 16-page request, signed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maurene Comey and Alex Rossmiller, stated:
The request emphasized: "While Prince Andrew is not presently a target of the investigation, the information he may be able to provide as a witness could be relevant and useful to this investigation."
The federal offenses under investigation were:
- Sex Trafficking of Minors (18 USC § 1591)
- Transportation of Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity (18 USC § 2423)
- Coercion and Enticement (18 USC § 2422)
The DOJ requested "to conduct a voluntary interview of Prince Andrew" and added: "In the event that the witness declines to participate in a voluntary interview, U.S. authorities request that UK authorities conduct a compelled interview of the witness under oath." The request included a proffer agreement template offering Andrew certain protections in exchange for truthful testimony. Prosecutors believed he possessed significant information about Epstein's and Maxwell's criminal activities.
Peter Nygard Investigation
The MLAT request revealed Andrew was also a material witness in a separate investigation of fashion executive Peter Nygard on charges including sex trafficking of minors. The DOJ stated: "On at least one occasion, Prince Andrew travelled to Nygard Cay in the Bahamas, a location where Nygard is believed to have trafficked minor and adult female victims." This previously undisclosed connection established Andrew's presence at a second alleged sex trafficking location beyond Epstein's properties.
The DOJ requested information about Andrew's visits to multiple Epstein properties:
- "An Epstein-owned property located at 358 El Brillo Way, Palm Beach, Florida"
- "An Epstein-owned private island known as Little St. James" in the U.S. Virgin Islands
- "An Epstein-owned property known as 'Zorro Ranch'" in New Mexico
- "An Epstein-owned townhouse located at 9 East 71st Street, New York"
"Zero Cooperation" Finding
The archive contains extensive email correspondence from January-February 2020 between Southern District of New York prosecutors and Gary Bloxsome, Andrew's UK-based attorney. On January 30, 2020, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey wrote to Bloxsome referencing U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman's public statement:
Bloxsome repeatedly responded that "The Duke has made it clear that he has a strong desire to cooperate fully" while simultaneously declining to commit to any specific interview date. The correspondence shows months of delays and evasions by Andrew's legal team.
Email exchanges from June 2020 reveal the DOJ discussed escalating through diplomatic channels, with one official noting: "this process started before Jan 2020... the DCM put in one or more calls on this in either Nov or Dec"—indicating the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in London had already made multiple diplomatic interventions on behalf of federal prosecutors seeking Andrew's testimony.
Connections#
Prince Andrew's primary connection in Epstein's network was Ghislaine Maxwell, who introduced him to Epstein in the 1990s. The trio were photographed together on multiple occasions, including at Balmoral in 1999. Maxwell coordinated Andrew's visits to Epstein properties and, according to court filings, facilitated the alleged encounters with Virginia Giuffre. In a 2011 email exchange with Epstein about the Vanity Fair article, Maxwell defended Andrew and stated she had "no knowledge" of him being in "any state of undress" and that he had "always been properly attired" when she saw him.
Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, received financial assistance from Epstein. The 2011 Vanity Fair inquiry referenced newspaper reports that Andrew arranged for Epstein to give Ferguson £15,000 to help retire her debts, though Klein claimed a source told him "Sarah Ferguson actually received hundreds of thousands of dollars". The archive evidence demonstrates the £15,000 figure substantially understates Epstein's total support.
Emails show Epstein's staff arranging 3-4 New York apartments for Ferguson in September 2009 and booking her flights with two assistants between London, Miami, and New York, with Epstein paying all travel costs. The flight coordination email refers to "sultan sunday ferg", using Epstein's shorthand for Ferguson. In September 2009, Ferguson sent Epstein an effusive thank-you email: "In just one week, I have gone from nothing, to the biggest deals I have ever done" and "I have never been more touched by a friends kindness". The email references Epstein facilitating business introductions including meetings with Target, Tommy Hilfiger, and NBC.
The total value of this support—luxury Manhattan apartments, international flights for Ferguson and assistants, and high-level business introductions—would plausibly amount to the "hundreds of thousands of dollars" Klein's source claimed, far exceeding the publicly reported £15,000 figure. Ferguson later publicly admitted accepting money from Epstein and called it a "gigantic error of judgment".
Other figures in Epstein's network connected to Andrew include David Stern, who appears cc'd on emails coordinating responses to media inquiries about Andrew, and various public relations professionals enlisted to manage the scandal, including Mike Sitrick and Edward Klein.
Document References#
Prince Andrew figures prominently in court filings related to Virginia Giuffre's civil litigation. A December 30, 2014 joinder motion filed in the Crime Victims' Rights Act case identified Prince Andrew as one of the "politically-connected and financially-powerful people" to whom Epstein allegedly trafficked Giuffre when she was a minor. The motion alleged Giuffre was "sexually exploited by Epstein's adult male peers, including royalty". The federal judge in that case subsequently struck these allegations as "immaterial and impertinent" to the central claim and unnecessary "lurid details".
Court documents in Giuffre v. Maxwell detail Giuffre's allegations that she had sexual encounters with Andrew on three occasions: in London in 2001 when she was 17, at Epstein's New York mansion, and on Little St. James island. Discovery materials reference the well-known photograph showing Andrew with his arm around Giuffre's waist at Maxwell's London home, with Maxwell visible in the background. In 2011 email exchanges, Maxwell claimed to have "no recollection of the photo being taken".
FBI Interview Records: The 2001 London Encounter
The archive contains detailed FBI 302 reports documenting Virginia Giuffre's March 17, 2011 interview with federal agents. According to the FBI report, the first alleged sexual encounter occurred in London in March 2001 when Giuffre was 17 years old. The 302 states:
"MAXWELL approached [her] in a very excited manner and told her they had to go shopping to pick out a dress because [she] would be dancing with the Queen's son, referring to PRINCE ANDREW, Duke of York." Maxwell took her to Burberry to purchase a dress. That evening at Maxwell's London residence, Giuffre met Andrew for the first time. The FBI report documents: "EPSTEIN and MAXWELL asked PRINCE ANDREW to guess [her] age. PRINCE ANDREW responded, '17,' which was [her] correct age. EPSTEIN and MAXWELL's responded, 'You're right there.'"
The group then went to Club Tramp in London. According to both FBI 302 versions, Giuffre told agents: "[She] danced with PRINCE ANDREW at CLUB TRAMP and stated he is the worst dancer in the world. PRINCE ANDREW was grabbing her waist and [fondling her] on the dance floor."
After returning to Maxwell's residence, the FBI report states: "[She] proceeded with PRINCE ANDREW into a bathroom where they engaged in foreplay. [She] advised that PRINCE ANDREW has a foot fetish and touched her feet." The report continues: "Following the foreplay in the bathroom, [she] and PRINCE ANDREW entered a bedroom where they engaged in [sexual intercourse]. PRINCE ANDREW climaxed and departed MAXWELL's residence a short time later."
The following morning, according to the FBI report, Maxwell told Giuffre "she had fun" and "did well". Giuffre was paid approximately $15,000 after this encounter, which she told the FBI was "more than I'd ever made on a trip with him before".
Her U.S. Customs and Border Protection entry records corroborate the timeline. The FBI 302 states: "her January 2001 record was the return from her London, England trip where she had her first sexual encounter with PRINCE ANDREW." Giuffre was born August 9, 1983, making her 17 at the time of this encounter.
The FBI report notes Giuffre "requested EPSTEIN to take a photograph of her with PRINCE ANDREW. [She] advised that she still had the original photograph in her possession and would provide it to the interviewing agents." This directly contradicts later claims by Andrew's representatives that the photograph might be fabricated—Giuffre told the FBI in 2011 she possessed the original and offered to provide it to federal investigators.
The Spitting Image Puppet Incident
The second alleged encounter occurred approximately three months later at Epstein's Manhattan mansion. The FBI 302 reports document an incident involving a Spitting Image puppet:
A Daily Mail article filed as a court exhibit provides Johanna Sjoberg's account of the same incident: "Ghislaine put the puppet's hand on Virginia's breast, then Andrew put his hand on my breast. It was a great joke. Everybody laughed." Sjoberg was 21 years old at the time, working for Epstein while attending college. The puppet incident is a separate allegation of sexual assault by a second witness, corroborated in both FBI records and Sjoberg's published testimony.
The FBI report states Giuffre was paid approximately $400 after this second encounter. CBP records document "The April 2001 CBP record was her return to the United States just prior to her second sexual encounter with PRINCE ANDREW."
The Third Encounter and Additional Witnesses
The FBI 302 describes a third alleged encounter on Little St. James island. Giuffre told agents: "[She] was using Xanax heavily at the time, and her recollection was not clear. She remembered there were many models on the island that did not speak English along with a modeling person who had an unknown accent." Andrew was present during this visit, which occurred when multiple non-English-speaking models were also on the island.
A sworn deposition by Juan Alessi, a former employee at Epstein's Palm Beach estate, alleged that Prince Andrew attended naked pool parties and was treated to massages by a harem of adolescent girls. This allegation was specifically cited in Edward Klein's questions to Maxwell for the 2011 Vanity Fair article.
A different witness interviewed by the FBI provided contrasting testimony, stating she "met PRINCE ANDREW a few times; there were no strange experiences with him", though she also described being taken to multiple Epstein properties. This same witness confirmed "saw PRINCE ANDREW in Palm Beach" and that "EPSTEIN told [her] to take PRINCE ANDREW to a bar in Miami", corroborating Andrew's presence at Epstein's Palm Beach estate.
Maxwell's Facilitation Role and Subsequent Denials
The FBI 302 reports document Maxwell's active role facilitating the encounters. Maxwell "instructed [her] to get ready" before the first meeting with Andrew and told her to "be very pleasant and energetic". Maxwell "purchased a puppet resembling PRINCE ANDREW to give to him as a gift" before the second encounter. On a later occasion, Maxwell was "joking about trading [her] in because she was getting too old".
Maxwell's June 15, 2011 response to Vanity Fair directly contradicted this FBI testimony: "I was not responsible for making any arrangements for her or responsible for her schedule and would not have made arrangements for her to see Prince Andrew."
In response to these allegations, Maxwell's 2011 statement asserted she had "never seen the Duke in any state of undress at anytime" and was "not aware of any such parties".
Witness Intimidation Allegations
The FBI 302 documents a pattern of alleged witness intimidation. After leaving Epstein, Giuffre told federal agents: "She also received a call from an attorney that was trying to determine if she had spoken with anyone or was willing to speak to anyone about her relationship with EPSTEIN. The attorney advised that EPSTEIN would take care of her if she did not talk to anyone."
One to two weeks later, "an unknown attorney and EPSTEIN contacted [her] telephonically. EPSTEIN explained that if she did not say anything to investigators he would take care of her."
In March 2011, Maxwell emailed Epstein seeking information to undermine Giuffre's credibility: "What I need to hang my hat on is the following — I only need this one piece and I will then go quietly into the sunset... What year actually did u meet V — I am sure her version of dates are wrong it was just to be able to say she was 15..." Maxwell also asked: "What lies did she tell on her immigration form to australia — is that gettable?"
The June 2011 responses to Vanity Fair included coordinated character assassination, with Epstein and Maxwell falsely claiming Giuffre's lawyer's partner "was recently sentenced to 50 years in prison for crafting FAKE cases against Mr Epstein". Epstein's media strategy email described the approach: "I would say a paid for story that was nothing more than a malicious fabrication."
Flight logs from Epstein's aircraft, referenced in media reports included in the archive, documented multiple trips involving Andrew. The Mail on Sunday reported having evidence from flight logs of Epstein's Boeing 727 and Gulfstream jet showing Giuffre, Epstein, Maxwell, and Andrew traveling together. Klein's questions to Maxwell noted: "The Mail on Sunday said it had evidence to support [her] story—flight logs from Jeffrey Epstein's Boeing 727 and Gulfstream jet." Maxwell's response was: "AGAIN TO REMEMBER ANY SPECIFIC FLIGHT AND WHO WAS ON BOARD A PLANE FOR EVENTS THAT ALEDEGEDLY TOOK PLACE OVER 10 YEARS AGO IS SIMPLY UNREALISITC."
The FBI 302 confirms Giuffre "recalled two aircraft the EPSTEIN owned, a 727 and a black Gulfstream" and that "sex acts occurred while traveling on the aircraft".
In February 2022, Andrew settled Giuffre's civil lawsuit for an estimated £12 million without admitting liability. The settlement, reportedly funded largely by the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, included a donation to Giuffre's charity supporting victims' rights. Andrew has not repaid the loan from the royal family, according to press reports.
Visits to Epstein Properties#
The archive and public reporting document multiple interactions between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein at various properties:
Manhattan townhouse:
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December 2010 – Andrew stayed at Epstein's townhouse during a visit to New York. Emails show publicist Peggy Siegal organized a "last-minute casual dinner" for Andrew at Epstein's residence, describing it as "one the largest single dwellings in New York". Guests at this dinner reportedly included Woody Allen, Soon-Yi Previn, and Katie Couric. According to the FBI 302, the second alleged sexual encounter with Giuffre occurred at this location in April 2001, including the Spitting Image puppet incident.
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December 5, 2010 – Andrew and Epstein were photographed walking together in Central Park, near Epstein's East 71st Street mansion. In his 2019 BBC interview, Andrew claimed this visit was to tell Epstein "it is not appropriate that we should remain in contact" in person because of his "tendency to be too honourable". Emails in the archive suggest the relationship continued after this meeting.
London (Maxwell's residence):
- March 2001 – According to the FBI 302, Andrew met with Virginia Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell's London townhouse when Giuffre was 17. The encounter included dancing at Club Tramp, where Andrew "was grabbing her waist and fondling her on the dance floor", followed by sexual contact at Maxwell's residence. The well-known photograph of Andrew with his arm around Giuffre's waist was taken at this location. Giuffre told the FBI she "still had the original photograph in her possession and would provide it to the interviewing agents".
Little St. James island:
- The FBI 302 documents a third alleged encounter on Epstein's private Caribbean island. Giuffre told agents there were "many models on the island that did not speak English" during Andrew's visit. The DOJ MLAT request specifically sought information about Andrew's visits to this location.
Palm Beach:
- Juan Alessi's deposition alleged Andrew's presence at Epstein's Palm Beach estate, including attendance at pool parties. A separate FBI witness confirmed seeing "PRINCE ANDREW in Palm Beach" and being told by "EPSTEIN told [her] to take PRINCE ANDREW to a bar in Miami". The DOJ MLAT request sought records of visits to the Palm Beach property at 358 El Brillo Way.
Zorro Ranch, New Mexico:
- The DOJ MLAT request specifically sought information about Andrew's visits to "An Epstein-owned property known as 'Zorro Ranch'" in New Mexico, though specific dates are not provided in the archive.
Nygard Cay, Bahamas:
- The DOJ MLAT request revealed: "On at least one occasion, Prince Andrew travelled to Nygard Cay in the Bahamas, a location where Nygard is believed to have trafficked minor and adult female victims." This established Andrew's connection to a second alleged sex trafficking operation beyond Epstein's network.
RAF Marham/Sandringham:
- Email correspondence in the archive notes: "Epstein's Gulfstream flew in to RAF Marham with him and the Duke's friend Ghislaine Maxwell on board, before they enjoyed the Duke's hospitality at the Queen's Norfolk estate 20 miles away..." This confirms Epstein's Gulfstream was granted landing privileges at a Royal Air Force base to facilitate a visit to the royal family's Sandringham estate.
Other royal residences (reverse hosting):
- Andrew invited Epstein and Maxwell to stay at Balmoral in 1999, Windsor Castle in 2000, and hosted a birthday party for Maxwell at Sandringham in 2000. Media reporting in the archive noted: "It emerged last month that Kazakhstan had asked for his help in recruiting investors to the country. The plea came after the former Soviet Republic's President's son-in-law had bought the Prince's former marital home for £3million above the asking price. Timur Kulibayev paid £15million for Sunninghill Park." This established a pattern of Andrew's trade envoy activities intersecting with personal financial benefits and Epstein network connections.