A newly disclosed email, believed to have been sent by Ghislaine Maxwell, appears to provide significant confirmation that a controversial photograph of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre is authentic. This development directly challenges the former royal's repeated assertions that the image may have been fabricated.
Email Details and Content
The message, released by the US Department of Justice as part of the latest tranche of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, is headed "draft statement" and was sent from "G Maxwell" to Epstein in 2015. In the email, Maxwell writes: "In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family."
Although the name of the individual discussed has been redacted in the published version, the contextual details strongly suggest the reference is to Virginia Giuffre. Crucially, Maxwell adds in the correspondence that she was not aware of "anything improper" taking place at her residence during the encounter.
Contradicting Royal Denials
This email evidence stands in stark contrast to Prince Andrew's public statements regarding the photograph and his association with Giuffre. During his widely scrutinised 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, the Duke of York explicitly denied ever meeting Giuffre and suggested the photograph could have been doctored. He stated at the time: "Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored but I don't recollect that photograph ever being taken."
In that same interview, Andrew provided an alibi, claiming he was dining at a Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey, on the evening the photograph was allegedly taken. The former prince has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the allegations, which include Giuffre's claim that he engaged in sexual activity with her on three occasions when she was a teenager.
Legal Context and Family Response
Virginia Giuffre, who tragically took her own life in April 2025, had accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual assault. In 2022, the prince settled a civil sexual assault claim with Giuffre for a reported multi-million pound sum, though the settlement included no admission of liability. He has maintained that he never met the woman involved in the allegations.
The Giuffre family has responded to the email's release, telling BBC Newsnight that it vindicates Virginia's long-standing claims. Her brother, Sky Roberts, stated: "It truly does vindicate Virginia ... she was not lying this entire time." He added emotionally: "It's a moment where we're really proud of our sister."
Police Review and Ongoing Implications
In December, the Metropolitan Police concluded a review of allegations that Prince Andrew had sexual encounters with Giuffre in London in 2001. The force decided against launching a full criminal investigation into these claims. The review also examined allegations that Andrew had pressured his police protection officer to gather potentially damaging information about Giuffre.
Buckingham Palace was approached for comment regarding the latest email disclosure. The ongoing release of Epstein-related documents continues to generate significant public and media scrutiny regarding the conduct and associations of high-profile individuals.
