In August 2001, a leaked email shows former Prince Andrew asking Ghislaine Maxwell to set him up with “new inappropriate friends”, highlighting his ties to Epstein.
Email Exchange
The exchange begins with Andrew’s message: “Have you found me some new inappropriate friends? Let me know when you are coming over as I am free from 25th August until 2nd Sept and want to go somewhere hot and sunny with some fun people before having to put my nose firmly to the grindstone for the Fall. Any ideas gratefully received! See ya A xxx.” Maxwell replied a few hours later: “So sorry to disappoint you, however the truth must be told. I have only been able to find appropriate friends. Will let you know about some church meetings on those dates. Kisses Gx.” Two days later, Andrew sent a short note: “Distraught! You probably wouldn’t know but I lost my valet on Thursday. He died in his sleep. He had been with me since I was 2. I am a little off balance as not only has my office been restructured, I have left the RN and now my whole life is in turmoil as I have no one to look after me. He was a real rock and almost a part of the family.”
Background Context
The email originates from August 2001, after Andrew retired from the Royal Navy in July 2001. The sender’s address, labeled “The Invisible Man,” was identified as being from “Balmoral Summer Camp,” likely referencing the royal family’s estate in Scotland. Andrew, 65, had been stripped of his royal titles in November 2001 following his association with Epstein.
Legal and Personal Consequences
In 2022, Andrew settled a civil suit with Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her at age 17. The settlement did not admit wrongdoing but acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2023, after publishing a memoir in October 2022 that detailed allegations of sexual encounters with Andrew, including an alleged orgy involving eight other young girls. The memoir’s release prompted the royal family to force Andrew to move out of the Royal Lodge and strip him of his titles, though his daughters retained theirs.
Key Takeaways
- Former Prince Andrew requested new “inappropriate friends” from Maxwell in an August 2001 email.
- The email exchange highlights his continued ties to Epstein and Maxwell.
- Andrew’s retirement from the Royal Navy and subsequent loss of royal titles followed the fallout from Giuffre’s allegations.
Andrew has never been criminally charged, and the Justice Department has stated that nothing in the released Epstein files warrants investigation or prosecution of any third parties.
