Newly released Epstein files feature photographs of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Photos / US Department of Justice
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been pictured crouched on all fours looming over a woman lying flat on the floor in files published by the United States Justice Department.
The former Duke of York is seen looking at the camera as a woman, whose face is redacted, lies on her back between his arms. In another photo, his hand is placed on her torso.
The photo was among three million files relating to Jeffrey Epstein that were published by the department yesterday NZT.
They also reveal that Epstein offered to introduce Mountbatten-Windsor to a “beautiful” 26-year-old Russian woman.
Epstein said he could arrange to introduce him to a woman named only as “Irina”, in an email sent in August 2010 – two years after the disgraced financier was convicted for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Mountbatten-Windsor previously claimed to have cut contact with Epstein after an investigation was launched in 2006, only getting back in touch to end their relationship in person in late 2010.
However, a new cache of files suggests they were in regular, friendly contact in the months between Epstein’s release from house arrest in August and Mountbatten-Windsor’s visit to the US that December.
Other high-profile figures also face questions over private emails published in the files, such as British political figure Lord Peter Mandelson, whose husband was allegedly paid £10,000 by Epstein for an osteopathy course; businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates, who Epstein claimed caught a sexually transmitted disease after sleeping with Russian women; and Elon Musk, the Tesla tech billionaire, who arranged to have lunch with Epstein in 2013.
Richard Branson, the Virgin Group co-founder, was also facing questions after released emails indicated that Epstein visited his island in 2013 accompanied with “2 Russian girls” who “don’t have UK Visas”.
A source close to the businessman claimed that Epstein had visited Branson on Necker Island in 2013 to conduct a “short, group business meeting”.
“Epstein arrived with three adult women he said were members of his team, the women did not join the meeting and instead spent time socialising with the sports team on the island,” they added.
Mountbatten-Windsor will face further scrutiny over his own personal affairs after the publication of an email dated August 11, 2010 to an account called “The Duke”, believed to be associated with Mountbatten-Windsor.
Epstein wrote: “I have a friend who i think you might enjoy having dinner with,, her name is irina she will be london 20-24”.
An individual signing off as “HRH The Duke of York KG” accepted the offer. “Great,” he wrote, adding: “Any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know? Like what have you told her about me and have you given her my email as well? A.”
Epstein responded: “she 26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email” [sic].
The name “Irina” also appeared in emails disclosed last year during court proceedings involving Jes Staley, the former boss of Barclays.
In one email, dated August 30, 2009, Epstein emailed Staley asking if he needed anything while he was in London, to which he replied: “yep”.
The convicted sex offender then emailed someone named “Irina” three days later to inform her that “jes staley is staying at the Berkley hotel in london tonight”.
It is unclear if this other Irina was the same as the 26-year-old Russian the paedophile offered to Mountbatten-Windsor.
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent August 11, 2010 21:09
From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: The Duke
Subject:
I have a friend who i think you might enjoy having dinner with, her name is irina she will be london 20-24
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent August 12, 2010 4:44AM
From: The Duke
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Subject: Re:
Of course. I am in Geneva until the morning of 22nd but would be delighted to see her. Will she be bringing a message from you?
Please give her my contact details to get in touch.
A
HRH The Duke of York KG
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent August 12, 2010 13:39
From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: The Duke
Subject:
########
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Sent Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 12:32 PM
From: The Duke
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Great. Any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know? Like what have you told her about me and have you given her my email as well?
HRH The Duke of York KG
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent August 12, 2010 17:41
From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: The Duke
Subject: Re:
she 26, russian, elevere beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 12:36 PM
From: The Duke
To: Jeffrey Epstein
That was quick! How are you? Good to be free?
HRH The Duke of York KG
----------------------------------------------------------
Sent August 12 2010 17:44
From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: The Duke
Subject: Re:
...great to be free of many things
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Sent Thursday 8/12/2010 4:39:12 PM
From: The Duke
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Subject: RE:
So many opportunities that I am frustratingly not allowed to participate in. And so many that are obvious but can’t get anyone to fire on.
Must come and see you sometime soon.
HRH The Duke of York KG
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The latest disclosures under the Epstein Files Transparency Act cast doubt on the former Duke’s claim that he curtailed his relationship with Epstein after learning in 2006 that he was under investigation for child sex offences.
Epstein was convicted in Florida in June 2008 of soliciting a minor under the age of 18, and served 13 months in Palm Beach County Stockade before being placed under house arrest.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with the paedophile precipitated his fall from grace, which culminated last October in King Charles removing both his HRH style and his prince title.
The former Duke travelled to New York in December 2010, when he stayed at Epstein’s home and was pictured with him in Central Park. He claimed afterwards that he had made the trip to end their relationship because he was “too honourable” to end it by phone.
But other emails published yesterday show that the pair remained close both in the months before their relationship apparently ended and in the months afterwards.
Mountbatten-Windsor arranged an intimate dinner with Epstein and three women, named only as Sarah, Sue and Vera, at Buckingham Palace in September 2010.
Epstein emailed again that month to say that he was in London, asking: “what time woudl you like me and vera.. we will also need/ have private time [sic]”.
Mountbatten-Windsor replied suggesting they have dinner at the palace, adding that the location would offer “lots of privacy”.
In November 2010, further emails show Mountbatten-Windsor “plotting” with Epstein before their meeting the next month, saying that he was “really looking” forward to seeing him. “Some interesting things to discuss and plot...,” he wrote.
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Sent Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:14:50 +0000
From: “The Duke” ########
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Subject: RE:
So helpful! I will bring something in case of all contingencies. But principally cold.
See you tomorrow afternoon. Really looking forward to seeing you and spending some time with you after so long.
Some interesting things to discuss and plot....
HRH The Duke of York KG
----------------------------------------------------------
Two months after Mountbatten-Windsor claimed to have ended his relationship with Epstein, emails show that the pair discussed paying someone named J off to avoid them taking a story to the News of the World.
In an email exchange on February 28, 2011, Mountbatten-Windsor told Epstein: “We are in this together”.
He wrote: “I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it! Let me know if you want me to deal with J wages. Otherwise keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
Epstein agreed and replied: “I don’t trust him at all, and a payment from me at the moment if disclosed to the press would look like a payoff for the little s***.”
Mountbatten-Windsor responded: “So I could get it paid by someone else?”, to which Epstein replies “yes”.
Other emails reveal warm words shared in the earlier days of their relationship, such as one exchange in 2002 where Epstein asks Andrew if it was true he was considering having more children, adding: “I shall have to refer to you as super sperm.”
Mountbatten-Windsor shut the suggestion down, telling his friend: “No I’m not having more children and don’t believe everything you read in the papers.”
Correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, was also published in the files. An exchange from 2005 showed Mountbatten-Windsor telling the disgraced socialite, who is serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking minors for sex, that he was “literally in her hands” in an email discussing a trip to see her.
Maxwell also called Mountbatten-Windsor a “sweet pea” in an email consoling him the day after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002.
Mountbatten-Windsor has faced allegations, which he denies, that he sexually assaulted a teenage Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein.
The former Duke stepped down from royal duties in 2019, and in 2022 paid millions to Giuffre to settle a civil sexual assault claim despite maintaining that the pair had never met.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Other emails showed that Mandelson’s husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, had emailed Epstein asking for money to fund an osteopathy course and other related expenses in 2009.
In a statement issued to the Telegraph Mandelson apologised “unequivocally” to Epstein’s victims for his continued association with the paedophile.
“I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards,” he said. “I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.”
In September last year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced to sack Mandelson as US ambassador after it emerged that he had called Epstein his “best pal” in a 50th birthday tribute book.
In further emails, Epstein claimed that Gates, the Microsoft founder, had asked for antibiotics he could “surreptitiously give” to his then-wife Melinda after contracting an STD from “Russian girls”. A spokesman for Gates said: “These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false.”
The emails also reveal that Sarah Ferguson called Epstein a “legend” and the “brother I have always wished for” in messages. In one email from 2009, released in the files, she called him “my dear spectacular and special friend” and told him “I am so proud of you”.
The former Duchess of York was stripped of her title last year following revelations about her relationship with Epstein in a previous release of files.
In September, it was revealed Ferguson had sent Epstein an email in 2011, after she claimed she had cut ties with him, referring to him as her “steadfast, generous and supreme friend”.
Another email released yesterday revealed an invite Ferguson had sent Epstein for Andrew’s 50th birthday at St James’ Palace.
She wrote there would be “mysterious mischief” at the event on February 26, 2010, but Epstein later responded to the question of whether he could attend with “not able”.
The invite read: “Dear Jeffrey, Beatrice, Eugenie and I would love to invite you to celebrate 50 years of Papa/Andrew.
“It will be suits and cocktail dresses, and you know me, mysterious mischief, so bring your presents, your presence and your humour.”
Claudia Schiffer, the former supermodel, and David Copperfield, the magician, got engaged on Epstein’s island, the paedophile claimed.
In an email exchange between Epstein and a man named Alireza Ittihadieh, Epstein writes: “Give David my regards. He got engaged to Schiffer on my island.”
The exchange was about an effort from Copperfield to make an unexplained purchase. Copperfield has previously attracted controversy over his links to Epstein. Prosecutors claim Epstein gave several of his victims backstage passes to the magician’s shows as a treat for their services.
In an October 2007 email from the previous release of files relating to the case, a prosecutor whose name is redacted wrote: “FYI FBI Seattle and FBI Las Vegas executed a search today on a warehouse owned by Epstein’s favourite cohort, David Copperfield, in connection with allegations that Copperfield raped an adult female.”
Copperfield denied the rape allegations, and no charges were ever filed.
Senior Democrats claimed that US President Donald Trump was still suppressing the full files.
Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney-general and Trump’s former lawyer, said earlier that the US Justice Department had sifted through six million documents in total and would release three million, including 2000 videos and 180,000 images.
Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives oversight committee, accused Trump of withholding “roughly 50 per cent of the Epstein files” despite being legally obliged to turn over the documents in full. Garcia said: “This is outrageous and incredibly concerning”.
The Telegraph has attempted to contact de Silva for comment.
A spokesman for Virgin Group told the Telegraph: “Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than twelve years ago, and was limited to group or business settings, such as a charity tennis event.”
They added that the couple would have had “no contact whatsoever” with Epstein “[h]ad they had the full picture and information”, adding: “Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.”
- Daily Telegraph UK