Freshly disclosed correspondence from the extensive Jeffrey Epstein files has cast renewed scrutiny on the relationship between disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. An email exchange from August 2002, published by the US Department of Justice, shows Maxwell referring to an individual as "Andrew" and discussing his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, and their children.
Island Invitation Declined for Family Time
The email thread, involving an account named "The Invisible Man" and Ghislaine Maxwell, centres on plans for a bank holiday weekend. In a message signed "A", the sender explains that organising a trip has become difficult and proposes an alternative.
"As the planning is getting more difficult over the bank holiday weekend here I am thinking now I might join Sarah and the kids in Sotogrande for a few days which would be very important and a good thing for the girls, rather than trek across the pond," the email states. The sender then asks Maxwell for permission to make this change, acknowledging a potential "better offer" but dismissing it in this instance.
Maxwell's Understanding Response
In her reply dated August 24, 2002, Ghislaine Maxwell addresses the recipient as "Andrew sweet heart" and expresses understanding for his desire to be with family.
"I fully understand if you want to spend time w/Sarah and the kids. I will not be remotely offended – sad not to spend time w/you and sad not to see you but at this point w/precious holidays and few days off I agree that this idea of coming to the Island looks less appealing," Maxwell wrote.
Following confirmation that "The Invisible Man" would not be visiting, Maxwell sent a further email on August 25, 2002, which contained a notable remark. "No problem, (redacted), who is now coming and 5 other stunning red heads will all just have to play with ourselves," she stated, referencing the planned gathering on the island.
Context and Further Correspondence
The email account's identity is strongly suggested by several contextual clues. Previous messages from "The Invisible Man" have mentioned having a valet and being at Balmoral, the royal estate in Scotland. Furthermore, the use of "Sarah" – the name of Andrew's then-wife Sarah Ferguson – and the signature "A" align with the Duke's known identifiers.
Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, who divorced in 1996, share two daughters: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The released documents include other personal exchanges, such as a message from Maxwell on March 31, 2002, offering condolences following the death of the Queen Mother, where she refers to the recipient as "sweat pea".
Broader Epstein Files Revelations
These emails form part of a vast trove of over three million documents released by US authorities, collectively known as the "Epstein files". The publication follows a series of prior disclosures, including a notable email sent from Balmoral and signed "A", which requested "inappropriate friends" from Maxwell.
Other messages within the cache show casual and intimate banter. In one, "The Invisible Man" asks a redacted contact if they are having more children, humorously labelling them "super sperm". Another from Maxwell in 2005 details travel plans to Los Angeles, ending with "Love you A xxx".
Legal and Royal Repercussions
The backdrop to these communications is the criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile financier who was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
Prince Andrew has faced serious allegations, which he vehemently denies, of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager after she was trafficked by Epstein. In 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault claim brought by Ms Giuffre, a woman he maintains he has never met.
The fallout from his association with Epstein has been severe for the royal. After a disastrous 2019 interview on BBC Newsnight, he stepped back from public duties. The subsequent publication of Virginia Giuffre's memoir and the ongoing release of Epstein-related documents intensified scrutiny, ultimately leading King Charles III to formally remove his brother's HRH style and princely title.
The latest email revelations add another layer of personal detail to the well-documented connections between Maxwell, Epstein, and members of high society, keeping the long-running scandal firmly in the public eye.
