Newly disclosed emails between Jeffrey Epstein and the man formerly known as Prince Andrew reveal a pattern of panic, denial, and coordination as the disgraced financier’s sex crimes came under scrutiny — and as one of Britain’s most prominent royals sought to shield himself from the fallout.
“I can’t take any more of this,” wrote a sender identified in Epstein’s contacts as “The Duke” in 2011, according to messages unsealed Wednesday among thousands of partly redacted emails.
According to The Associated Press, at the time, the Duke of York was reeling from the first wave of reports linking him to Epstein. More than a decade later, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — the name he now uses after being stripped of his royal titles — faces renewed public humiliation.
King Charles III formally revoked his remaining titles two weeks ago, and he is now facing eviction from his longtime home near Windsor Castle.
The documents shed light on how deeply Mountbatten-Windsor’s connection to Epstein ran and how far he and Epstein allegedly went to undermine Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse when she was 17.
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied Giuffre’s allegations but settled her civil lawsuit out of court in 2022 for a reported multimillion-dollar sum. Giuffre, who died earlier this year, had long maintained she was trafficked to him by Epstein.
The emails also reveal a coordinated effort to discredit her. Epstein referred to Giuffre as “nothing more than a telephone answerer” and suggested getting a reporter to investigate her, adding that “Buckingham Palace would love it.”
In one exchange, when a British tabloid sought comment before publishing a story about Giuffre’s claims, Epstein forwarded the inquiry to Mountbatten-Windsor.
“Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations,” “The Duke” wrote back. “I can’t take any more of this (on) my end.”
Epstein’s dismissive response read, “The only person she didn’t have sex with was Elvis.”
The trove also contradicts Mountbatten-Windsor’s claim that his friendship with Epstein ended in 2010. Instead, the correspondence suggests that their relationship continued far longer — further eroding the credibility of his 2019 BBC interview, which was widely condemned for its lack of empathy and implausible denials.
What began as an effort to escape scandal has instead deepened it — marking yet another chapter in the long and public downfall of a once-powerful royal.
