Freshly released Epstein files have triggered renewed scrutiny of Prince Andrew after emails attributed to an anonymous sender known only as ‘A’ were linked by investigators and commentators to contact details associated with the former royal.
The correspondence, dated 2001–2002, has resurfaced long-running questions about Andrew’s association with convicted sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, while legal experts stress that the material does not, by itself, establish criminal conduct.
The debate intensified after the US Department of Justice released additional documents from its Epstein investigation, prompting renewed public interest in whether any further disclosures will follow.
Emailing Maxwell for ‘Inappropriate Friends’
In one of the files shared, there were emails between people who were only known by the names ‘A’ and Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of Epstein, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in the US as a convicted sex trafficker.
The emails are dated 2001 and 2002, at which time Virginia Giuffre argues that she was coerced into sleeping with Andrew.
In one of the emails, dated August 2001, one individual addressed Maxwell and requested, ‘Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?’
Maxwell’s response suggests she has only managed to get the ‘appropriate friends’ and refers to ‘church gatherings,’ meaning a personal relationship between the two. The email signature kisses imply familiarity, and the words used in some of the emails indicate American influence, such as Fall being used instead of Autumn.
More importantly, the email address used by the anonymous ‘A’ corresponds to the address in Prince Andrew’s contact book, suggesting that ‘The Invisible Man,’ as he is referred to in the files, may be the former royal.
Why Do People Think It’s Andrew?
This theory is supported by the electronic mails to the Royal Navy, and the sender states that he had just left the service in July 2001, the formal date of Andrew’s retirement. The email also mentions attending the Royal Family Summer Camp at Balmoral, which is consistent with Andrew’s visits to the Balmoral estate.
In a subsequent letter, Maxwell attempts to arrange a trip with her anonymous friend to Peru in 2002, referring to him as ‘Andrew,’ telling him he would be able to have ‘two-leg sightseeing’ and ‘other experiences.’
Nevertheless, these exchanges do not contain any direct evidence of unlawful conduct, and in some cases, they may not be criminal, according to legal experts. Nonetheless, the dates and sources appear to fit suspiciously with the official visit of Andrew to Peru in 2002, when he was in his last year as a royal.
Andrew Is Not Yet Out of The Picture
What is even implied is the fact that US federal authorities tried to interrogate Andrew in April 2020 as part of investigating the sex trafficking scheme of Epstein. This is because the US Department of Justice sought the UK government’s cooperation in ordering the prince to testify.
The files also contain a shocking photograph of Andrew in the lap of a woman with his head resting in the saloon at Sandringham, and Maxwell in the background. This photograph is revealed in the middle of the debate over whether Andrew’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell is a crime or a course of dubious friendship.
However, the fact that a certain number of such pictures exist and that the US investigation is thorough implies that officials are not complete with their investigations.
The records show that Andrew’s legal team at one time inquired about being spared prosecution in exchange for information, and it was suggested that, instead of being interviewed, he could write a statement.
However, the US prosecutors insisted on a live interview, requesting that it be held in the UK with the American investigators present. This move might have implicated the royal still further. Their work was gradual, and the COVID-19 pandemic partially contributed to delaying the process and redirecting priorities.
Ample Evidence About The Former Royal
The authorities in the US asserted that they had ample evidence that indicated Andrew might have been involved in the illegal activities of Epstein due to the allegations brought forward by Giuffre, who claimed that she was trafficked to Epstein when she was 17.
Andrew has never acknowledged these claims, paying off a suit filed by Giuffre to the tune of £12M, but the new documents support the idea that federal investigators believed he was a target at least since 2020.
For Andrew, the reappearance of these documents underscores why his association with Epstein remains unresolved in the public mind.
As investigations and disclosures continue, the emails add another layer to a case that has become as much about accountability and trust as it is about the limits of evidence.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
