In the Jeffrey Epstein abuse scandal, ex-Prince Andrew is once again in the spotlight.Image: AP
Epstein apparently planned to protect the British royal family. To do this, he suggested a targeted campaign against a woman.
November 12, 2025, 10:18 p.mNovember 12, 2025, 10:24 p.m
Dinah Rachko / t-online
In the Jeffrey Epstein abuse scandal, ex-Prince Andrew is once again in the spotlight. The youngest brother of King Charles III. has been facing serious allegations for years. An internal email history from 2011 now shows how committed Epstein was to protecting Andrew’s reputation – and specifically sowing doubts about his accuser. This is likely to be Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died in April and who accused Andrew of having abused her as a minor when she was 15 years old.
On Wednesday, the US Democrats in the House of Representatives published, among other things, the email history between Jeffrey Epstein and PR consultant Peggy Siegal. In it, Epstein wrote that the woman who accused Andrew could “easily be exposed as a liar.” In Epstein’s estimation, “Buckingham Palace would love that.” Epstein suggested hiring someone to screen the woman. He literally wrote: “I promise you, she is a fraud. You and I will be able to appear at Ascot for the rest of our lives.” An annual horse race takes place in the English town, which is often attended by British royals and high society.
Epstein also claimed in his 2011 emails that there was a police report about the Andrew plaintiff in question. However, the media did not publish this because no one wanted to be seen as someone “who attacks a victim”. Epstein recommended that Siegal bring this to the attention of media entrepreneur Arianna Huffington. He also compared Andrew’s accuser to Nafissatou Diallo, the plaintiff in the abuse case involving former French Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn. The latter was accused of raping the chambermaid, but the credibility of his accuser was later questioned.
Epstein also commented on a photo of Andrew and Giuffre that was revealed a few years ago – and questioned the age of those affected: “The girl in the photo was never 15, she was a telephone operator when she first worked for him,” he claimed in an email. Siegal was cautious in her reply email, but asked Epstein to summarize his statements in correct language so that they could be forwarded if necessary.
“What’s all this about?”
The excerpts from the Epstein files that have now been revealed also contain email correspondence between a journalist and representatives of the British royal family. The content refers to planned reporting by the Mail on Sunday about Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew and those around them. A journalist sent a list of detailed questions – such as meetings with Epstein, financial connections, Maxwell’s role and possible legal consequences. There is also writing about sexual encounters between Andrew and a 15-year-old whose name is blacked out.
A “The Duke,” who appears to be Andrew, the former Duke of York, responded to the email and distanced himself decisively: “What’s all this about? I don’t know anything about it! Please say it that way too. This has nothing to do with me. I can’t take it anymore,” writes “The Duke” in the email.
Investment banker Jeffrey Epstein, convicted of sex crimes, was found dead in his cell after a second incarceration in 2019; authorities believe it was suicide. His partner Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021 because, according to the indictment, she recruited underage girls for him for years. Andrew is said to have abused the alleged victim Virginia Giuffre several times, but denied this and settled out of court in 2022 without admitting his guilt. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025.